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Athletic teams representing Sul Ross State University From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Sul Ross State University Lobos are the athletic teams of Sul Ross State University, a public university in Alpine, Texas. They compete in the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the Lone Star Conference.
| Sul Ross State Lobos | |
|---|---|
| |
| University | Sul Ross State University |
| Conference | Lone Star Conference |
| NCAA | Division III |
| Athletic director | Bobby Mesker |
| Location | Alpine, Texas |
| Varsity teams | 14 varsity teams, NIRA rodeo |
| Football stadium | Jackson Field |
| Basketball arena | Pete P. Gallego Center |
| Baseball stadium | Kokernot Field |
| Other venues | Graves-Pierce Recreational Complex |
| Mascot | Sully |
| Nickname | Lobos |
| Colors | Red and Grey[1]: 5 |
| Website | www |
Sul Ross State competes in 12 intercollegiate varsity sports. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, soccer and tennis; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.[2]
In July 2023, Lobos athletic programs were approved for reclassification to Division II.[3] On July 1, 2024, the university became a member of the Lone Star Conference.[4]
In 1970 and 1971, the women's volleyball team won the first two Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Volleyball National Championships. The AIAW governed women's sports prior to NCAA recognition. Sul Ross State defeated UCLA and Long Beach State, respectively, in the championship matches. In addition, Sul Ross won Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association Conference Championship in 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1991.
In 2007, it was announced that 59-year-old Mike Flynt would be joining the Sul Ross football team. He had played college football when he was originally enrolled in college and his athletic eligibility had not expired.[5]
In 2015, the team finished 3–7.[6] The following season, 2016, the Lobos finished with a record of 6–4, the program's first winning record in a decade.[7]
The Lobos are currently lead by head coach Barry Derickson. Derickson, who was originally hired as the offensive coordinator prior to the 2021 season, was announced as the program's interim head coach on November 30, 2021 following the resignation of John Pearce.[8] Following the conclusion of the 2022 season, Derickson was promoted to full-time head coach.[9]
| Location | 204 S. Cockrell St Alpine, TX 79380 |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 3,000[10] |
| Surface | FieldTurf |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1924 |
| Opened | 1924 |
Jackson Field is a football stadium located in Alpine, Texas with a seating capacity of 2,000. The stadium is the home field for the Sul Ross Lobos and Alpine High School Fighting Bucks. The stadium was constructed and opened in 1924 and is named after Big Bend rancher J. D. Jackson who donated the land for the stadium.[11] The old playing surface, natural grass, was replaced with a new artificial turf surface in 2016 as part of a larger project that included the construction of a multi-purpose recreational/intramural field just east of Jackson Field, with the funding coming from private donations and gifts.[12][13]
The Battle of I-20 is the name given to the McMurry–Sul Ross football rivalry.[14] Going into the 2019 match-up McMurry led the all-time series 46–40–2;[15] the Lobos would win that year's game 21–7. As of the 2023 season, the two teams have met 93 times with McMurry leading the series 48–43–2. The future of the rivalry remains uncertain as Sul Ross joined the Lone Star Conference in 2024, which competes at the Division II level, while McMurry competes in the Division III Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.[16]
In 2024, a new trophy series was introduced for the Lobos' games against the Western New Mexico Mustangs, dubbed the Battle for the Golden Tumbleweed, with the winner receiving the Golden Tumbleweed Trophy.[17] The teams first met in 1949, with the Mustangs leading the overall series 15–7 entering the 2024 match-up.[18] Sul Ross won the inaugural trophy game, 30–14, on October 19, 2024; this victory also marked the Lobos' first win since rejoining the LSC and first win over a NCAA Division II opponent.[19]
The Lobos home park, Kokernot Field, was the host for the first ever NAIA Baseball World Series. Texas Monthly called Kokernot Field the Yankee Stadium of Texas.
Sul Ross began playing softball in 1996.
Sul Ross State University hired Marquis Muse in July 2015 as its first Head Women's Soccer Coach. The Lobos finished 2–8 in conference play and 3–13 overall in its inaugural season.
Sul Ross captured the 1985 TIAA Golf Championship by 80 strokes. 1st Team All Conference\Medalist Blake Moody(Ozona, TX), 1st Team All Conference Daniel Nunez(Alpine, TX) and Kevin Farrer(Alpine, TX), 2nd Team All Conference Ronnie Martinez(Marfa, TX) and Kevin Burnett(Pecos, TX), but has subsequently dropped the program.
Sul Ross was a founding member of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association and has a long and successful history with seven national titles, placing in the top 10 at the College National Finals Rodeo 33 times, and having six all-around cowboys and cowgirls.
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