• Source: Chicago State Cougars

The Chicago State Cougars are the varsity athletic teams representing Chicago State University of Chicago, Illinois in intercollegiate athletics. The university currently sponsors 16 varsity teams. The Cougars compete in NCAA Division I in the Northeast Conference starting in 2024. They were previously members of the Western Athletic Conference from 2013 to 2022.




History


Melvin Bland was the first CSU student athlete to gain NAIA All-American status in 1974 as a wrestler. Tyrone Everhart also was a NAIA Honorable Mention All-American wrestler the same year. Fred Evans as a sophomore became the first black swimmer ever to win a national championship in 1975. The Chicago State University Ice Hockey Team produced 2 NCAA Division 2 All-Americans in the 1975–76 season. George Hansen and Bob Janecyk were selected in 1975–76 to the NCAA (College Division) West All-American Team. Janecyk was selected two more times designated as an NCAA (College Division) West All-American Team goaltender for CSU in 1976–77 and 1977–78. He went on to play for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. The first NAIA District #20 Championship Team in any sport was the 1975 wrestling team, which captured the NAIA District #20 Championship coached by Dr. James G. Pappas. The Cougar Wrestling Team also won District #20 titles in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980.
In 1984, the CSU Men's Basketball Team captured third place at the NAIA National Championships. The team's performance throughout the tournament was as follows:

Chicago State 79, Franklin Pierce (N.H.) 62
Chicago State 105, Kearney State (Neb.) 104 2OT
Chicago State 68, Chaminade (Hawaii) 66 (Quarterfinals)
Fort Hays State (Kan.) 86, Chicago State 84 OT (Semifinals)
Chicago State 86, Westmont (Calif.) 82 OT (3rd)

In the 2024, the Women's Tennis Team earned a share of the Horizon League regular season championship and won the conference tournament. The team's performance throughout the tournament was as follows:

Chicago State 4 Oakland 2 (QF)
Chicago State 4 Youngstown State 2 (SF)
Chicago State 4 Cleveland State 2 (F)
This was the first time in school history that any Chicago State team won the conference championship and qualified for a first round NCAA appearance.
Chicago State joined the Western Athletic Conference on July 1, 2013 as part of a six-university expansion. Along with the University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC), it was to have anchored the circuit's Midwest division. UMKC left the conference in 2020 and Chicago State announced on January 14, 2021 that it would do likewise on June 30, 2022.
Chicago State is being integrated into Northeast Conference (NEC) athletic schedules beginning with the 2024-25 academic year. The Cougars will gain immediate eligibility to participate in all NEC championships and earn the conference's automatic qualifier to NCAA Championships. This comes after the MEAC presidents voted against adding Chicago State to the conference.




Conference affiliations


1966–67 to 1976–77 – NAIA Independent
1977–78 to 1980–81 – Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
1981–82 to 1983–84 – NAIA Independent
1984–85 to 1992–93 – NCAA Division I Independent
1993–94 – East Coast Conference
1994–95 to 2005–06 – Mid-Continent Conference
2006–07 to 2008–09 – NCAA Division I Independent
2009–10 to 2012–13 – Great West Conference
2013–14 to 2021–22 – Western Athletic Conference
2022–23 to 2023–24 – NCAA Division I Independent
2024–25 to present – Northeast Conference




Sports sponsored



With the school's current financial situation and the needs of the athletic program, in April 2016, the University Budget Committee recommended that the Athletic Department "... study the benefits of being Division 1 or another division." Chicago State University currently sponsors teams in seven men's and nine women's teams in NCAA sanctioned sports.




All-Americans


1974 – Vince Williams – All-American – 6th 220yd Dash Outdoor Track & Field
1974 – Sudie Davis, Vince Williams, Willie Patton, Clifford Fletcher, Wallace Hunter All-Americans NCAA Track and Field
1974 – Melvin Bland – All-American – Third Team Wrestling
1975 – Fred Evans – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
1976 – Fred Evans – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
1976 – Scott White – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
1977 – Fred Evans – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
1977 – John Ebito – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
1978 – Ken Cyrus – All-American – Second Team Men's Basketball
1979 – Chandler Mackey – All-American – Wrestling
1979 – Joseph Curtis – All-American – Men's Indoor Track & Field
1979 – Joseph Curtis – All-American – Men's Outdoor Track & Field
1979 – Mike Eversley – All-American – Second Team Men's Basketball
1980 – Chandler Mackey – All-American – Wrestling
1980 – Derrick Hardy – All-American – Wrestling
1980 – Ken Dancy – All-American – Second Team Men's Basketball
1981 – Eric Blackmon – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
1983 – Jon Jahnke Academic – All-American – Baseball
1983 – Sherrod Arnold – All-American – First Team Men's Basketball
1983 – Stanley Griffin – All-American – First Team Men's Outdoor Track & Field
1984 – Charles Perry – All-Tournament Team – First Team Men's Basketball
1984 – Denise Bullocks – All-American – Women's Outdoor Track & Field
1984 – Denise Bullocks – Outstanding Performer – Women's Outdoor Track & Field
1984 – Denise Bullocks – Scholar-Athlete – Women's Outdoor Track & Field
1984 – Learando Drake – All-American – Third Team Men's Basketball
1984 – Lionel Keys – All-American – Wrestling
1986 – Jimmy McGriff – All-American – Men's Indoor Track & Field
1987 – Chris Garrett – All-American – Men's Outdoor Track & Field
1987 – David Rogan – All-American – Men's Indoor Track & Field
1987 – David Rogan – All-American – Men's Outdoor Track & Field
1987 – Deanail Mitchell – All-American – Men's Indoor Track & Field
1987 – Deanail Mitchell – All-American – Men's Outdoor Track & Field
1987 – Denise Bullocks – All-American – Women's Indoor Track & Field
1987 – Denise Bullocks – All-American – Women's Outdoor Track & Field
1987 – Enos Watts – All-American – Men's Outdoor Track & Field




Notable former athletes


Deji Akindele, professional basketball player for Yalova Group BelediyeSpor of the Turkish Basketball First League.
Darron Brittman, former basketball player who is best known as the first officially recognized NCAA Division I season steals leader in 1985–86.
Josephine D'Angelo, left fielder who played from 1943 through 1944 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She later earned her masters from CSU.
James "Chico" Hernandez, FIAS World Cup Vice-Champion in Sombo Wrestling. He graduated from CSU.
David Holston, basketball player for JDA Dijon Basket of France's LNB Pro A. He played for the Chicago State Cougars men's basketball team.
Bob Janecyk, goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks from 1983 to 1984 and the Los Angeles Kings from 1984 to 1989. He played for CSU and graduated in 1978.
John Mallee, Major League Baseball hitting coach. Mallee is with the Los Angeles Angels. He attended CSU.
Wayne Molis, professional basketball player who played for the New York Knicks from 1966-1967. He played for the Chicago State Cougars men's basketball team.
Royce Parran, professional basketball player who last played for Belfius Mons-Hainaut of the Belgian Basketball League. He played for the Chicago State Cougars men's basketball team.
Clarke Rosenberg (born 1993), American-Israeli basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League
Tony Weeden, professional basketball player. He played for the Chicago State Cougars men's basketball team.
Willye White, first American track and field athlete to take part in five Olympics, competing on the 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, and 1972 teams respectively. She graduated from CSU in 1976 with a degree in public health administration.




References






External links


Official website

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• Xfinity
• Puma
• Daftar klub sepak bola divisi tertinggi di negara anggota CONCACAF
• Chicago State Cougars
• Chicago State Cougars men's basketball
• Chicago Cougars
• 2024–25 Chicago State Cougars men's basketball team
• 2023–24 Chicago State Cougars men's basketball team
• Chicago State Cougars women's basketball
• Cougar Stadium (Chicago State)
• List of NCAA Division I conference changes in the 2020s
• Kane County Cougars
• Scott Spinelli