Misplaced Pages

#127872

81-523: Mercer joined the Southern Conference as a full member on July 1, 2014; all university-sponsored sports will compete in the Southern Conference except women's lacrosse and women's beach volleyball , which are not sponsored by the conference. A member of the Southern Conference , Mercer University sponsors teams in eight men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports: Mercer was a member of

162-597: A 14–2 conference record and made school history for number of wins (23); Mercer won 22 games in 1923–24 and 1984–85. The season ended with a loss in the Atlantic Sun tournament. Slonaker was the first National Coach of the Year to receive the award after it was named in honor of Jim Phelan. The four other finalists were Lute Olson (Arizona), Skip Prosser (Wake Forest), Bo Ryan (Wisconsin), and Tubby Smith (Kentucky). Mercer did not maintain this level of success, which prompted

243-401: A 3,500- seat basketball arena , an indoor pool, work-out facilities, intramural basketball courts, an air-rifle range, offices, a food court, and numerous meeting facilities. Mercer's Claude Smith Field (baseball), Sikes Field (softball), and intramural fields are next to the center along with the university's tennis complex. Betts Stadium, the home of men's and women's soccer, is located on

324-597: A cooperative agreement with the ASUN Conference , the SoCon began sponsoring men's lacrosse in the 2014–15 school year (2015 season) with three full members (Furman, Mercer, VMI) and four associates (Bellarmine, High Point, Jacksonville, Richmond). SoCon men's lacrosse has since added Air Force. Women's lacrosse was sponsored by the ASUN through the 2017 season, after which the SoCon launched its own women's lacrosse league. Beginning in

405-514: A forward on the men's basketball team, who was the 2004–05 and 2005–06 Atlantic Sun Conference Male Student Athlete of the Year, only the third person to be selected twice for the award. Emerson was also named to ESPN the Magazine's Academic All-American first team in 2005 and 2006. Mercer received national attention in November 2007 when the team defeated USC , which was ranked 18th in the nation at

486-502: A leading institution.” State legislation authorizing the governor to vacate the board of trustees was prompted by the numerous instances of financial and procedural mismanagement uncovered in recent school audits. Representative Ryan Williams specifically noted that the $ 250 million appropriation made by the legislature in 2022 was “completely blown through” and not used for infrastructure improvements as intended. The 500 acres (2.0 km ) main campus has more than 65 buildings, and

567-649: A member of the ASUN Conference (then known as the Atlantic Sun Conference); Mercer won 21 ASUN championships (12 tournament and nine regular season) including four in the spring of 2014. Mercer won four championships in its first year in the SoCon (two tournament and two regular season). Southern Conference Tournament Championships Southern Conference Regular Season Championships ASUN Conference Tournament Championships ASUN Conference Regular Season Championships CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) Championship The men's basketball team won

648-474: A radio announcer, and in 1980 became sports information director. He became athletics director in 1989 and oversaw construction of the University Center and renovation of the baseball, softball, and tennis facilities. Pope was inducted into Mercer's Hall of Fame in 2010. Reinstatement – NCAA Record Wins On November 19, 2010, Mercer announced the reinstatement of intercollegiate football beginning in

729-537: Is Mercer's all-time leading scorer; he scored 176 points and later played for the semi-professional Ironton Tanks . Yoast is the high school coach made famous in the movie Remember the Titans . Bobby Lamb – Head Coach On January 20, 2011, Mercer announced the hiring of Bobby Lamb as its new head football coach. Lamb compiled a record of 67–40 in nine seasons as the head coach at Furman University from 2002 to 2010. He played quarterback at Furman from 1982 to 1985 and

810-636: Is a public historically black land-grant university in Nashville, Tennessee , United States. Founded in 1912, it is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee. It is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund . Tennessee State University offers 41 bachelor's degrees , 23 master's degrees , and eight doctoral degrees . It is classified as "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". The university

891-485: Is a partial list of the last 10 regular-season and tournament champions. For the full history, see List of Southern Conference men's basketball champions . This is a partial list of the last 10 tournament champions. For the full history, see Southern Conference women's basketball tournament This is a partial list of the last 10 champions. For the full history, see Southern Conference baseball tournament . The Commissioner's and Germann Cups are awarded each year to

SECTION 10

#1732869319128

972-596: Is located in a residential setting at 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd in Nashville, Tennessee . Tennessee State's main campus has the most acres of any college campus in Nashville. The Avon Williams campus is located downtown, near the center of the Nashville business and government district. Tennessee State offers on-campus housing to students. There are on-campus dorms and two apartment complexes for upperclassmen. On-campus facilities include dormitories Wilson Hall, Watson Hall, Eppse Hall, Boyd Hall, Rudolph Hall, Hale Hall, as well as

1053-605: Is organized into the following colleges: The College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). It was the first institution in Nashville to earn the accreditation of both its undergraduate and graduate business programs in 1994. The psychology program is accredited by the American Psychological Association . Programs in the College of Engineering are accredited by

1134-452: The ASUN Conference , announced a new alliance in lacrosse that took effect with the 2015 spring season (2014–15 school year). Under its terms, sponsorship of men's lacrosse shifted from the ASUN to the SoCon, while women's lacrosse sponsorship remained with the ASUN. Bellarmine, which had announced it would join the ASUN for men's lacrosse for the 2015 spring season, instead joined the SoCon. The alliance remains in effect in men's lacrosse, but

1215-666: The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) or the National Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT). The Master of Public Health program was accredited in 2015 by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Tennessee State University sponsors seven men's and eight women's teams in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sanctioned sports. The school competes in

1296-553: The Atlantic 10 Conference , announced on May 23, 2022, led to the demise of the SoCon men's lacrosse league after the 2022 season. In addition to Hampton joining the CAA, SoCon associate members High Point and Richmond (the latter a full A-10 member) moved to the A-10, and Jacksonville returned to ASUN men's lacrosse. In the table below, the "Joined" column denotes the start of the school year in which

1377-485: The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament following the 2011–12 season, the first Atlantic Sun Conference team to win a postseason championship. During the tournament, the team defeated Tennessee State University , Georgia State University , Old Dominion University and Fairfield University en route to the championship game at Utah State University ; Mercer won the championship game 70–67. The championship capped

1458-645: The Municipal Auditorium in Atlanta from February 24 to March 2, 1922, the first meeting was won by North Carolina who defeated non-member Mercer in the Finals 40–25. The SoCon Basketball Tournament continues as the nation's oldest conference tournament. The next-oldest tournament overall is the SEC men's basketball tournament , founded in 1933, but that event was suspended after its 1952 edition and did not resume until 1979. With

1539-554: The NCAA Division I baseball championship . The SoCon was the first conference to use the three-point field goal in basketball in a November 29, 1980, game at Western Carolina against Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), where Ronnie Carr shot the historic shot from 22 feet (6.7 m) away and the Catamounts won 77–70. Talks of a new conference for Southern athletics had started as early as fall of 1920. The conference

1620-673: The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) from 1906 to 1911 and from 1919 to 1937; the university won the conference championship in basketball in 1922 and 1924. Prior to 1924, the sports teams were known as the 'Baptists' rather than the Bears. Without leaving the SIAA, which focused mostly on basketball and track, Mercer was a charter member of the Dixie Conference in 1930; the university played football in

1701-548: The University of Florida . She is a graduate of the University of Georgia and compiled a 64–54 record in four seasons at Arkansas and a 112–93 record in seven seasons at Austin Peay. Gardner is the tenth head coach in Mercer's 41 years of women's basketball. In 2013, Mercer advanced to the post-season Women's Basketball Invitational losing to McNeese State University ; the team finished

SECTION 20

#1732869319128

1782-461: The states of Alabama , Georgia , North Carolina , South Carolina , Tennessee , and Virginia . Established in 1921, the Southern Conference ranks as the fifth-oldest major college athletic conference in the United States, and either the third or fourth oldest in continuous operation, depending on definitions. The Southern Conference is considered one of the stronger football conferences in

1863-401: The 2013 season. Mercer joined the Southern Conference on July 1, 2014; the university accepted an invitation on May 30, 2013, and joined alongside East Tennessee State University and Virginia Military Institute . Mercer shifted from non-scholarship to scholarship football when it joined the conference. Mercer joined the Southern Conference on July 1, 2014. The university was previously

1944-557: The 2016–17 academic year, after a 30-year hiatus, the SoCon resumed rifle as its 21st sport. Members for conference competition are full members The Citadel, VMI, and Wofford as well as associate members UAB, Georgia Southern, and North Georgia. The SoCon is one of only two all-sports conferences to sponsor rifle, joining the Ohio Valley Conference. Rifle is technically a men's sport for NCAA purposes, but men's, women's, and co-ed teams all compete against each other. Women's lacrosse

2025-550: The ASUN Conference. The men's lacrosse partnership took a slightly different form from the 2022 spring season (2021–22 school year) forward, as the ASUN reinstated its men's lacrosse league. The two full ASUN members with men's lacrosse programs separated, with Jacksonville remaining in SoCon men's lacrosse while Bellarmine joined the ASUN men's lacrosse league. SoCon associate Air Force also left for ASUN men's lacrosse. The SoCon maintained its automatic NCAA tournament berth with

2106-465: The Atlantic Sun Conference) began sponsoring men's lacrosse in 2014; on February 22, 2014, Mercer won the conference opener, defeating Richmond . Mercer went on to win the conference regular season championship (co-champion with High Point ); the Bears were defeated in the opening round of the conference tournament. Mercer joined the Southern Conference on July 1, 2014; on the same day, the Southern Conference took over sponsorship of men's lacrosse from

2187-536: The Atlantic Sun Conference. The SoCon dropped men's lacrosse after the 2022 season due to conference realignment , and Mercer returned men's lacrosse to the ASUN (which had reinstated men's lacrosse in the 2022 season). Mercer opened the University Center (also known as Hawkins Arena ) on the Macon campus in 2004. The $ 40 million 230,000-square-foot (21,000 m) center houses Mercer's athletics department,

2268-537: The Board of Education to upgrade the educational program of the college. Three years later the first master's degrees were awarded and by 1946 the college was fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools . Significant expansion occurred during the presidency of Walter S. Davis between 1943 and 1968. The postwar period resulted in the construction of "70 percent of the school's facilities" and

2349-623: The Football Championship Subdivision and is considered a mid-major conference in basketball. The three-time Division I NCAA Football champion Appalachian State Mountaineers were a member of the conference when they stunned the fifth-ranked Michigan Wolverines 34–32 on September 1, 2007. The Davidson Wildcats reached the Elite Eight in the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament by upsetting power programs Gonzaga , Georgetown , and Wisconsin . More recently,

2430-512: The Ford Complex and New Residence Complex, TSU's two on-campus apartment complexes. The university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award associate degrees , baccalaureate degrees , master's degrees , and doctoral degree . It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". The university

2511-617: The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and the two remaining men's lacrosse members, Jacksonville and Mercer, moved that sport to the ASUN. Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Southern Conference which are played by SoCon schools: Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Southern Conference which are played by SoCon schools: This is a list of recent champions. For the full history, see List of Southern Conference football champions . † Automatic bid to NCAA Division I Football Championship This

Mercer Bears - Misplaced Pages Continue

2592-747: The NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision and is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). As a member of the OVC, Tennessee State is one of three Division I HBCU athletic programs that are not members of either the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) or Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), whose members are primarily HBCU institutions. TSU has a rivalry with Tennessee Tech and Kentucky State University. There are over 60 registered student organizations on campus including

2673-580: The SEC and ACC are considered "power" conferences in Division I FBS (formerly Division I-A), the SoCon dropped to Division I-AA (FCS) in 1982, four years after the top division was split into two levels in 1978. The SoCon became the first league to hold a post-season basketball tournament to decide a conference champion. Although first played in 1921, it did not become "official" until 1922, and in its first few years included teams which were not conference members. Held at

2754-627: The SoCon added the sport for the 2016–17 school year. In the table below, the "Joined" and "Left" columns denotes the calendar year in which each school joined and left the SoCon. For fall sports, the year of departure differs from the final year of competition. For spring sports, the year of arrival differs from the first season of competition. Full members Full members (except football) Other Conference Other Conference The Southern Conference sponsors championship competition in 11 men's, 9 women's, and one co-educational NCAA-sanctioned sports. Five schools are associate members for wrestling. Under

2835-546: The SoCon, with an overall 6–6 win–loss record (1–5 in the conference) . History The reinstatement of football revives a storied university program. Mercer and the University of Georgia competed in the first football game in Georgia; UGA won 50–0 on January 15, 1892. Later the same year, Mercer played Georgia Tech in Tech's first football game; Mercer won 12–6 on November 5, 1892. Mercer football alumni include Wally Butts , one of

2916-589: The South (Sewanee), Tennessee, Tulane, and Vanderbilt) all departed the SoCon to form the Southeastern Conference (SEC). In 1953, seven additional schools (Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest) withdrew from the SoCon to form the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The SEC and ACC have gone on to surpass their parent conference in prestige; while

2997-505: The addition of Hampton . Before the addition of Hampton men's lacrosse, the most recent addition to the associate membership was Presbyterian wrestling, which joined during summer 2019. Two women's lacrosse members, Central Michigan and Detroit Mercy , left after the 2020 season (2019–20 school year) to join the new women's lacrosse league of Central's full-time home of the Mid-American Conference ; this move contributed to

3078-426: The appointment to become athletics director. Since becoming athletics director, Cole has overseen the addition of men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse, and sand volleyball; the reinstatement of football; and the construction of Mercer's football and lacrosse complex. Cole replaced Bobby Pope who retired on June 30, 2010 after 21 years as athletics director. Pope was affiliated with Mercer for 40 years starting in 1970 as

3159-420: The arrival of East Tennessee State (ETSU), Mercer, and VMI. The current football membership stands at nine. UNC Greensboro does not sponsor football, while ETSU relaunched its previously dormant football program in 2015 and rejoined SoCon football in 2016 after one season as an independent . The 10 members of the Southern Conference are: On January 9, 2014, the SoCon and Atlantic Sun Conference, now known as

3240-669: The best season in university history; the team finished the season with a 27–11 record. Jim Cole, a Mercer graduate and a former minor league, professional baseball player in the Milwaukee Brewers system, is Mercer's athletics director. Cole, a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives , served as Governor Sonny Perdue 's floor leader in the House and was selected to become Georgia Secretary of State in December 2009. He declined

3321-471: The championship game 70–67. The championship capped the best season in university history; the team finished the season with a 27–11 record. In 2013, Mercer won the conference regular season championship and advanced to the National Invitation Tournament , defeating Tennessee before losing to BYU ; the team finished the season with a 24–12 record, the first time in university history that

Mercer Bears - Misplaced Pages Continue

3402-557: The conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Division I tournament in 1981; the team was defeated (73–67) by the University of Arkansas . Mercer won the conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Division I tournament again in 1985; the team was defeated (65–58) by Georgia Tech . Mercer discontinued football in 1942. The sport was reinstated in 2013; Mercer competed in the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League for

3483-513: The conference tournament championship; the team defeated Florida Gulf Coast for the tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1985. During the regular season, notable wins included victories over Seton Hall and Ole Miss . At the conclusion of the conference tournament, Mercer had a record of 26–8, the first time in university history the team had three straight 20-win seasons. Mercer coach Bob Hoffman

3564-554: The conference. The first year of competition for the conference was in 1922, effective January 1. The new rules banned freshman play. Later additions included Sewanee (1924), Virginia Military Institute (1924), and Duke (1929). The SoCon is particularly notable for having spawned two other major conferences. In 1932, the 13 schools located south and west of the Appalachians (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, University of

3645-413: The defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion), and Tennessee . History Hoffman replaced Mark Slonaker who served as head coach for ten seasons and was the 2002–03 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year. Slonaker received that award after leading Mercer to the best one season turnaround in NCAA history, improving from 6–23 to 23–6. The team won the Atlantic Sun regular season championship with

3726-571: The demise of the Division II West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2013, whose tournament had been continuously held since 1936, the next-oldest conference tournament in continuous existence is now the ACC men's basketball tournament , first held in 1954. The all-sports membership changed to 10 schools in 2014 following the departure of Appalachian State, Davidson, Elon, and Georgia Southern, plus

3807-574: The eastern edge of campus between the School of Medicine and the university's newest intramural fields. In 2007, a 101-room Hilton Garden Inn opened on university-owned land adjacent to the University Center . The University Center arena was named Hawkins Arena in April 2012. The naming honors J. B. Hawkins, former high school athletic director and basketball coach in Crawford County . In November 2011,

3888-428: The establishment of the graduate school and four other schools. In 1968, the college officially changed its name to Tennessee State University. In 1979, the University of Tennessee at Nashville merged into Tennessee State due to a court mandate. In 2022, Tennessee State University was awarded $ 250 million from the state legislature . The funds were intended to upgrade facilities and academic programs on campus. At

3969-616: The eventual demise of the SoCon women's lacrosse league. Men's soccer member Belmont left the SoCon after the 2021–22 school year when it joined the Missouri Valley Conference , which sponsors that sport. At the same time, Hampton moved men's lacrosse to its new full-time home of the Colonial Athletic Association, now known as the Coastal Athletic Association . The addition of men's lacrosse by

4050-516: The fall of 2013. In 2013, Mercer competed as an NCAA Division I FCS non-scholarship program in the Pioneer Football League ; in 2014, Mercer began competing as a scholarship program in the Southern Conference . Reinstatement came after a 70-year hiatus; the university suspended football during World War II and did not revive it. The final game was in 1941. The modern Mercer football program played its first game on August 31, 2013;

4131-530: The greatest personalities in Georgia sports history. After his playing days at Mercer, Butts served as the head coach at UGA from 1939 to 1960 and as the school's athletic director from 1939 to 1963; he is a member of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame . Other notable alumni are Joseph "Phoney" Smith and Bill Yoast . Smith was an All-American halfback and

SECTION 50

#1732869319128

4212-414: The guest as the primary speaker. Speakers have included Jeff Francoeur (2009), Gordon Beckham (2010), John Smoltz (2011), Chipper Jones (2012), and Dale Murphy (2013). Recent Achievements In 2010 under head coach Craig Gibson , Mercer won the conference tournament championship for the first time since 1983. Mercer, with a 37–22 record, advanced to the NCAA Division I Atlanta Regional where

4293-443: The institution became an associate member, which for spring sports differs from the first season of competition. Most former members are currently members of either the Southeastern Conference or the Atlantic Coast Conference . Two of the former full members, Appalachian State and Davidson, maintain SoCon associate membership in wrestling . A third former full member, Georgia Southern, became an associate member in rifle when

4374-453: The leagues amicably ended their full alliance in women's lacrosse once the SoCon began sponsoring that sport in the 2018 spring season (2017–18 school year). However, the conferences maintained their working relationship in women's lacrosse, with the SoCon adding Coastal Carolina as an associate member effective with the 2021 spring season (2020–21 school year) in order to keep both conferences at five women's lacrosse members for 2021. Coastal

4455-558: The new conference from 1930 to 1942 and won the conference championship in 1932. Mercer suspended athletics in 1942 during World War II , but rejoined the Dixie Conference from 1948 to 1954 in all sports (except football, Mercer did not revive the sport after the war). The university won the Dixie Conference tournament championship in basketball in 1951, 1952 and 1954; Mercer won the regular season championship in 1950, 1952 and 1953. Mercer began competition in women's basketball in 1970;

4536-537: The only public university in Nashville. Its health science program is the largest in the state and one of the largest in the nation. On March 28, 2024, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed legislation that removed all of the school's board of trustees and replaced them with new members, subject to legislative confirmation. Characterizing the school as a “remarkable institution” he said, “I’m pleased to appoint these highly qualified individuals who will work alongside administrators and students to further secure TSU’s place as

4617-587: The same year (2013) by Auburn University , the FBS national runner-up, and Sam Houston State University who achieved its eighth victory in the FCS post-season. Mercer won its first game in the Southern Conference on September 27, 2014; the team defeated Virginia Military Institute on the road in Lexington, Virginia . Mercer finished its first season in the SoCon, and its second season since reinstatement, placing in last place in

4698-407: The season with a 20–12 record, the first 20-win season since 1991–92. The post-season appearance was Mercer's first in a nationally sponsored tournament since 1985. History Mercer fielded its first baseball team in 1871. Cy Young coached the team from 1903 to 1905 winning three Georgia State Championships. In recent years, Mercer has won five Atlantic Sun Conference championships including

4779-458: The season with a 27–9 record. Susie Gardner was named women's basketball head coach in 2010. She replaced Jannell Jones who resigned to become the head coach of California State University, Los Angeles ; Jones compiled a 35–56 record during three seasons at Mercer. Gardner, former head coach at the University of Arkansas and Austin Peay University , was most recently an assistant coach at

4860-424: The season with a 43–18 record, the best in university history. With the conclusion of the 2013 NCAA Baseball College World Series, Mercer finished the season as the top fielding (.982 percentage) team in the nation out of all 296 eligible Division I teams; Mercer edged out the University of Nebraska , the University of California, Irvine and the University of Oregon . In addition, junior outfielder Derrick Workman

4941-744: The six-time Division I NCAA football champion Georgia Southern Eagles stunned Southeastern Conference power-house Florida Gators 26–20 in The Swamp on November 23, 2013—the first loss to a lower-division opponent in the Florida program's history. In 2015, Furman defeated UCF 16–15 and The Citadel topped South Carolina 23–22 for their second win over the Gamecocks in the past three meetings. On September 4, 2021, East Tennessee State University stunned Vanderbilt 23–3 in their opening game. The SoCon also frequently sees multiple teams selected to participate in

SECTION 60

#1732869319128

5022-425: The team defeated Elon University , but lost to Georgia Tech and the University of Alabama . The team finished the season with a 38–24 record, one of the most successful in university history. In 2013, Mercer won the conference regular season championship and advanced to the NCAA Division I Starkville Regional losing to the University of South Alabama and the University of Central Arkansas . The team finished

5103-644: The team defeated Reinhardt University before an overflow crowd (12,172 spectators) at the Tony and Nancy Moye Football and Lacrosse Complex . Mercer finished the 2013 season undefeated at home with a 10–2 win–loss record (the two road losses were to the University of San Diego and Marist College ), setting an NCAA Division I record for wins (10) by a start-up football program; Mercer had eight home wins..However, four of Mercer wins were from competing against teams in lower division levels of competition (3-NAIA schools and 1-Division III school) also an NCAA Division I record tied

5184-401: The team had back-to-back 20-win seasons. Mercer had opened the season ranked first in the conference preseason standings; during the season, notable wins included victories over defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion Florida State and Alabama . In 2014, Mercer won the conference regular season championship for the second year in a row (co-champion, tied with Florida Gulf Coast ) and

5265-617: The team won the Southern Women's Athletic Conference championship in 1972. The university, competing in the Georgia Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women , won the conference championship in 1974, 1976, 1979, 1980 (tournament and regular season) and 1982 (regular season). In 1985, Mercer advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four; the team was defeated (82–79) by Central Missouri State University . Mercer

5346-422: The time of the award, the $ 250 million investment was the largest single investment into a historically black institution in the history of the country. In 2023, Tennessee State's most well known graduate, Oprah Winfrey , served as the official commencement speaker for the first time. Tennessee State University is divided into eight schools and colleges and has seen steady growth since its inception. It remains

5427-399: The time of the game. Recent Achievements In 2012, Mercer won the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament following the 2011–12 season; the first Atlantic Sun Conference team to win a postseason championship. During the tournament, the team defeated Tennessee State , Georgia State , Old Dominion and Fairfield en route to the championship game at Utah State University ; Mercer won

5508-463: The top men's and women's program in the conference. The Commissioner's Cup was inaugurated in 1970. The Germann Cup, named for former Southern Conference Commissioner Ken Germann, was first awarded in 1987. The completion of the 2013–2014 athletics season saw Appalachian State winning its 33rd Commissioner's Cup and Furman its 13th Germann Cup. Tennessee State University Tennessee State University ( Tennessee State , Tenn State , or TSU )

5589-639: The university began construction of the 10,200-seat Tony and Nancy Moye Football and Lacrosse Complex on the Macon campus. The new facility, adjacent to Hawkins Arena and Mercer's other athletic facilities, has the following components: the Homer and Ruth Drake Field House, the William H. Anderson II Family Field, the Marshall and Jane Butler Family Plaza, and the Tony and Nancy Moye Family Football and Lacrosse Complex. Construction

5670-518: The university to hire a new head coach. Mercer's basketball alumni include Sam Mitchell , a retired NBA player who became head coach of the Toronto Raptors . Mitchell was drafted with the seventh pick of the third round (54th overall) by the Houston Rockets in the 1985 NBA draft. He scored nearly 2,000 points at Mercer, the leading scorer in team history, and led Mercer to the 1985 Trans-America Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships. More recent alumni include Will Emerson,

5751-430: The university's first regular season title in 2013. Since the program began in 1871, ten Mercer players have advanced to the Major Leagues . First Pitch Classic Mercer opens each baseball season with the annual First Pitch Classic. First held in 2009, the event welcomes a distinguished guest with extensive baseball experience to the Macon campus; highlights include an autograph session and an evening banquet featuring

5832-624: Was 16–6. Bob Hoffman – Head Coach Bob Hoffman was named men's basketball head coach in 2008. Prior to Mercer, Hoffman was head coach at Oklahoma Baptist and Texas-Pan American , as well as the Rio Grande Valley Vipers , an NBA D-League team. Hoffman's overall record as a head coach at the collegiate level is 499–243 (as of the end of the 2012–13 season) including 99 wins at Mercer during his first five seasons (2008–13). His Mercer wins include victories over Alabama (twice), Auburn , Duke , Georgia Tech , Florida State (then

5913-669: Was a charter member of the New South Women's Athletic Conference in 1985–86 and won the conference championship in 1991; the conference merged with the Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC; now known as the ASUN Conference) the same year. Mercer became a charter member of the TAAC in 1978 and was the only charter member remaining with the conference before moving to the Southern Conference. The men's basketball team won

5994-652: Was added as the 22nd sport for 2017–18, but was dropped after the 2020–21 school year. The SoCon dropped men's lacrosse after the 2022 season. Affiliate member Hampton joined the Colonial Athletic Association, which sponsors that sport, and the Atlantic 10 Conference, full-time home to men's lacrosse affiliate Richmond, launched a men's lacrosse league in the 2023 season, also taking in another SoCon affiliate in High Point. With SoCon men's lacrosse being gutted by these changes, VMI moved that sport to its former men's lacrosse home of

6075-704: Was completed in 2013; the Field Turf surface was completed in July 2012, the Drake Field House opened in November 2012. Southern Conference The Southern Conference ( SoCon ) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA). Member institutions are located in

6156-536: Was established as the Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal School for Negroes in 1912. Its dedication was held on January 16, 1913. It changed its name to Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal College in 1925. Two years later, in 1927, it became known as Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State College . In 1941, the Tennessee General Assembly directed

6237-564: Was formed on February 25, 1921, in Atlanta as fourteen member institutions split from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference charter members were Alabama , Auburn , Clemson , Georgia , Georgia Tech , Kentucky , Maryland , Mississippi State , North Carolina , North Carolina State , Tennessee , Virginia , Virginia Tech , and Washington & Lee . In 1922, six more universities— Florida , LSU , Mississippi , South Carolina , Tulane , and Vanderbilt joined

6318-419: Was honored as the conference coach of the year for the second consecutive year; Mercer players were honored as the conference player of the year (guard, Langston Hall ), defensive player of the year (forward, Daniel Coursey), and scholar-athlete of the year (forward, Jakob Gollon). Mercer defeated Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Tennessee in the third round. The team finished

6399-598: Was intended to play in SoCon women's lacrosse in the 2022 spring season (2021–22 school year) as well, but the SoCon decided to drop the sport after the 2021 spring season (2020–21 school year). While no formal announcement was made, the SoCon–ASUN women's lacrosse partnership definitively ended at that time, as the three full SoCon members who sponsored women's lacrosse moved that sport to the Big South Conference . Coastal and Delaware State both returned women's lacrosse to

6480-474: Was named a first team Capital One Academic All-American , one of only eleven players in nation selected for this honor. History Mercer added men's lacrosse during the 2010–11 academic year (2011 season); women's lacrosse was added for 2014–15 (2015 season). The programs are the first in Georgia at the NCAA Division I level. The men's team won its first victory on March 19, 2011 against Carthage College . Recent achievements The ASUN Conference (then

6561-505: Was the Southern Conference player of the year in 1985. Lamb was an assistant coach at Furman from 1986 until he became head coach in 2002. He resigned from Furman after compiling a record of 5–6 for the 2010 season, his only losing season in nine years. Lamb is a Georgia native; he was born in Augusta and graduated from high school in Commerce . Lamb's record in his first two seasons at Mercer

#127872