| Davenport Panthers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | Davenport University |
| Conference | GLIAC (primary) GLVC (men's lacrosse and men's wrestling) |
| NCAA | Division II |
| Athletic director | Paul Lowden |
| Location | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Varsity teams | 32 (17 men's, 15 women's) |
| Basketball arena | Student Center |
| Ice hockey arena | Patterson Ice Center |
| Baseball stadium | Baseball Sportsplex |
| Softball stadium | Christian Recreation Center |
| Soccer stadium | Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex |
| Volleyball arena | Student Center |
| Mascot | Pounce the Panther |
| Nickname | Panthers |
| Colors | Red and black[1] |
| Website | dupanthers |
 | |
TheDavenport Panthers are the athletic teams that representDavenport University, located inCaledonia Township,Michigan, in intercollegiate sports as a member of theNCAA Division II level of theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in theGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) for most of its sports as a provisional member since the 2017–18 academic year (achieving D-II full member status in 2019–20). The Panthers previously competed in theWolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) of theNational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 2005–06 to 2016–17.[2]
Men's lacrosse and wrestling currently compete as members of theGreat Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).[3] In addition, the university's competitive cheer and Stunt teams compete as members of theNational Cheerleaders Association (NCA) while the DU competitive dance team competes in theNational Dance Association (NDA).[4] Davenport added varsityEsports as a member of theNational Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) in 2018.[5]
In addition to NCAA sports, DU also offers additional sports that the NCAA does not currently sponsor championships.[6] Men's rugby competes at the Division I level ofUSA Rugby'sMidwest Rugby Union,[7] as well as a JV team at the D-II level. Men's ice hockey competes in theACHA Division I in theGreat Lakes Collegiate Hockey League (GLCHL),[8] as well as a JV team at the ACHA DIII level.
Davenport competes in 21 intercollegiate varsity sports and 21 non-varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball. Non-varsity men's sports include bowling, eSports, ice hockey (ACHA DI, DII & DIII), marching band, pep band, rugby and volleyball; while non-varsity women's sports include bowling, cheerleading (NCA & sideline), dance, eSports, ice hockey (ACHA DI), marching band, pep band, pompon, rugby, stunt and wrestling. Men's and women's varsity teams in ultimate will be added in 2023–24.[9]
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Bowling[n 1] |
| Bowling[n 1] | Cross country |
| Cross country | Esports[n 1] |
| Esports[n 1] | Golf |
| Football | Ice hockey[n 1] |
| Golf | Lacrosse |
| Ice hockey[n 1] | Power lifting[n 1] |
| Lacrosse | Soccer |
| Power lifting[n 1] | Softball |
| Rugby[n 1] | Swimming |
| Soccer | Tennis |
| Swimming | Track and field |
| Tennis | Ultimate frisbee[n 1] |
| Track and field | Volleyball |
| Volleyball[n 1] | |
| Wrestling |
The men'sbasketball team plays its games at 1,500-seatDU Student Center.[10] The Panthers won their first WHAC conference champions in 2012.[11] The team appeared threeNAIA Men's Division II Basketball Championships tournaments 2010, 2011, and 2012.[12] The team reached the quarterfinal round in 2011 and in 2012, the Panthers reached the NAIA DII Final Four for the first time in the program's history.[13] In their first NAIA Final Four appearance, the third-ranked Panthers lost to the second-ranked and eventual 2012 Champions,Oregon Tech 50–55.[14]
The Davenport men'sice hockey program started in 2002 through the 2009–2010 season the program competed in at theAmerican Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division II level in theGreat Midwest Hockey League (GMHL). Since the 2008–2009 season, DU has also fielded a second/JV team participating at theACHA Division III level in theMichigan Collegiate Hockey Conference (MCHC).
Davenport hockey captured three straightDivision II National Championships in 2008, 2009, and 2010.[15] As of the conclusion of the 2009–10 season the Panthers had a record of 325–75–13 (.803).[16]
In the 2010–11 season, the program moved to the ACHA Division I level in theGreat Lakes Collegiate Hockey League.[8] The team finished their first season at the ACHA DI level with an overall record of 36–10–0 and 15–4–0 in the GLCHL. On March 9, 2011, Davenport won theACHA Men's Division I National Championship 3–2 in overtime against two-time defending championsLindenwood.[17] The team finished the 2011–12 regular season with an overall record of 21–21–0 and 15–5–0 in the GLCHL.[18] Despite losing in the GLCHL playoffs, the Panthers received an at-large bid to the2012 ACHA Men's Division I National Championship, ranked 14th.[19] In the opening round, the team defeatedDrexel 4–1 before the team lost 1–3 toDelaware,[20] the eventual 2012 ACHA DI Champions.[19]
Davenport's football program debuted in the 2016 season, finishing 6–5 in theNAIA under coachLou Esposito. Esposito resigned at season's end to take a position withWestern Michigan.[21] Davenport hiredFerris State assistantSparky McEwen to replace him as the team moved up to theNCAA's Division II.[22]
In 2022, Davenport had the best season in program history, finishing the regular season at 8–2 and qualifying for theDivision II playoffs for the first time. It alsoranked as high as No. 13 in national polls.[23] Davenport's two regular season losses were toGrand Valley State andFerris State, each of which spent part of the season as the No. 1 ranked team in the country.[24][25]
In its first playoff appearance, Davenport again faced theeventual national champion Ferris State, losing 41–7.[26]
After the2023 NFL draft, Davenport wide receiver Sy Barnett was signed by theNew Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent, making him the first player in program history to receive an NFL contract.[27][28]
Men'slacrosse program began in 2008 and joined the NCAA ranks in the 2019–20 academic year.[29] Prior to NCAA competition, the Panthers competed as a member of theMCLA Division I in theCentral Collegiate Lacrosse Association;[30] In 2011, the Panthers defeated the two-time defending champion,St. Thomas 14–9 in the MCLA Division II National Championship game to win the school's first lacrosse championship. The win concluded a program best record of 18–5. In addition to the 2011 Championship, the Panthers have received bids to the MCLA Division II Tournament three straight seasons in 2009, 2010, and 2011. The 2013 season was their 1st season as a MLCA Division I program.[29] In addition to MCLA competition, DU won the first NAIA men's lacrosse national invitational tournament with a 13–10 win on May 7, 2016.[31] DU elevated the program from MCLA to NCAA status in 2019 and after playing the 2020 season as an independent, announced the team will join theGreat Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) in 2020–21.[3]
Women's lacrosse joined the NAIA independentNational Women's Lacrosse League (NWLL) starting in the 2011–12 academic year. The NWLL served as the governing body during emerging sport status for NAIA women's lacrosse. Following creation of a national invitational tournament, DU won the inaugural NAIA title.[32] The program began in 2008 as a member of theWDIA Division II in theWomen's Collegiate Lacrosse League.[33] In the first four seasons the team compiled a record of 27–35–1 at the WDIA club level and a record of 10–9 in its first season of NAIA competition with a 4–6 NWLL record in 2011–12.[34]
Davenport Rugby competes in theDivision 1-A ofcollege rugby. The team plays its home games at DU Turf Field.College rugby is governed byUSA Rugby as the sport is not governed by the NAIA or NCAA.[35]Men'srugby is one of the newest varsity sport offerings by Davenport University, first played in 2009. Davenport began its rugby program, in part due to the growth of rugby in Grand Rapids and throughout western Michigan.[35] Davenport began its rugby program with big ambitions, stating their goal of becoming a premier rugby program in the midwest and advancing to the USA Rugby national championship playoffs.[35]
Davenport played its inaugural 2009–2010 season in Division II. The team opened its season in September 2009 with a 100–0 shutout win overWayne State.[36] The Panthers finished the 2009–2010 season with a record of 11–3, went 8–0 in conference play, and notched an impressive non-conference 27–5 win over DI-AA programMichigan State.[37]
The Panthers first-year success led the Panthers to compete in Division I-AA in the 2010–2011 season. Despite stepping up to a higher level of competition, the Panthers had another strong season, going 3–1 in conference play, and notching impressive non-conference wins againstCollege Premier Division (DI-A) opponentsNotre Dame andOhio State, as well as DI-AA powerhouses Michigan State andWisconsin.[38] A come-from-behind 29–27 win overIndiana in the fall of 2010 meant that Davenport qualified for the spring 2011USA Rugby Division 1 National Championship tournament.[39] In the university's first appearance in the tournament, Davenport entered the 16-team tournament as the 16th seed and only at-large bid.[40] Davenport first shutoutMinnesota 27–0 in the round of 16, before defeatingKansas State 46–5 in the quarterfinals to earn a spot in the USA Rugby semifinals, held inStanford, California.[41] Davenport defeatedHarvard 62–21 in the D1 National Semifinals to clinch a berth in the championship. In the championship game Davenport defeatedUC-Santa Barbara 38–19 to win the USA Rugby Men's Division I Rugby Championship, in only the program's second season of play and the program's first season in Division 1.[42] Davenport's freshman flyhalfJP Eloff was named the tournament MVP, scoring 22 points in the semifinal and 25 points in the final.[42] Davenport finished the championship season with a record of 15–2 and outscored opponents by a combined score of 595 to 255.[38]
In its third season, the Panthers began the 2011–2012 season ranked #1 in preseason polls.[43] The 2011–2012 season was another successful campaign for the Panthers, going 6–0 in conference play, and finishing the regular season ranked #1 in D1-AA.[44] The strong play of flyhalf J.P. Eloff, the leading scorer in D1-AA,[45] led to Eloff being selected to participate in trials for theUS national team. In the playoffs, Davenport beatTexas 87–0 in the round of 16, defeated Wisconsin 34–11 in the quarterfinals, and defeatedDartmouth 35–18 in the semifinals.[46] The win over Dartmouth placed the Panthers in the championship for the second consecutive season. In the 2012 championship game, Davenport shutoutSan Diego State 39–0 to win 2012 USA Rugby Division I-AA National Championship.[47] The Panthers 2011–12 season was marked by the Panthers going undefeated in collegiate competition.[47] The team had a loss toUtah in the semifinal round of Qualifier Tournament for the2012 USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship and exhibition losses against theChicago Griffins andChicago Lions, both of theRugby Super League.[38][48]
For the 2012–13 season, Davenport moved up to play inDivision 1-A.
| Sport | Association(s) | Titles | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Hockey (m) | ACHA | 4 | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 |
| Lacrosse (m) | MCLA,NAIA | 2 | 2011, 2016 |
| Lacrosse (w) | NWLL, NAIA | 1 | 2016 |
| Rugby (m) | USA Rugby | 2 | 2011, 2012 |
| Cheerleading | NCA | 5 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 |
| STUNT | NCA | 3 | 2015, 2016, 2017 |
| Soccer (m) | NAIA | 1 | 2014 |
i. Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC):
| Basketball (M) | 2012 |
| Basketball (W) | 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013 |
| Golf (M) | 2006, 2007, 2008 |
| Soccer (M) | 2005, 2010 |
| Softball | 2011, 2012 |
| Tennis (W) | 2012 |
ii. American Heartland Conference Champions
| Bowling (W) | 2010, 2011 |
iii. Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League (GLCHL):2011
iv. Great Midwest Hockey League (GMHL):2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
v. Great Lakes Intercollegiate Hockey Association (GLIHA):2004
vi. Midwest Rugby Eastern Conference (MREC):2011
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