The Central State Marauders and Lady Marauders are the athletic teams that represent Central State University, located in Wilberforce, Ohio, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) since the 2015–16 academic year (with football joining first as an affiliate member from 2013–14 to 2015 before upgrading for all sports). The Marauders and Lady Marauders previously competed in the D-II Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) from 2012–13 to 2014–15, and as an NCAA D-II Independent from 2002–03 to 2011–12; as well as competing in the American Mideast Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 2000–01 to 2001–02.
| Central State Marauders | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | Central State University |
| Conference | SIAC (primary) |
| NCAA | Division II |
| Athletic director | Kevicia Brown |
| Location | Wilberforce, Ohio |
| Varsity teams | 9 (5 men's, 4 women's) |
| Football stadium | McPherson Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Beacom/Lewis Gym |
| Nickname | Marauders and Lady Marauders |
| Colors | Maroon and gold[1] |
| Website | maraudersports |
| Team NCAA championships | |
| 2 | |
Varsity teams
editCentral State competes in 11 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include basketball, cross country, football, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball. Central State's main rivals are Kentucky State University and West Virginia State University.
National championships
editTeam
edit| Sport | Association | Division | Year | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's basketball (2) | NAIA | Single | 1965 | Oklahoma Baptist | 85–51 |
| 1968 | Fairmont State | 51–48 | |||
| Men's cross country (2) | NCAA | College | 1960 | Mankato State | 72–109 |
| 1962 | Northern Illinois | 77–96 | |||
| Men's indoor track and field (2) | NAIA[2] | Single | 1993 | Lubbock Christian | 77–70 |
| 1994 | Azusa Pacific | 84–76 | |||
| Women's indoor track and field (2) | NAIA[3] | Single | 1993 | Wayland Baptist | 97–65 |
| 1996 | Wayland Baptist | 96–86 | |||
| Men's outdoor track and field (1) | NAIA | Single[4] | 1993 | Prairie View A&M | 99–70 (+29) |
| Women's outdoor track and field (5) | NAIA | Single[5] | 1991 | Simon Fraser | 115–81 (+34) |
| 1992 | Simon Fraser | 140–125.5 (+14.5) | |||
| 1993 | Simon Fraser | 132–116 (+16) | |||
| 1994 | Doane | 96–71 (+25) | |||
| 1996 | Azusa Pacific | 108–65.5 (+42.5) |
Individual teams
editFootball
editThe Central State University Marauder football team experienced much success in Division II and NAIA during the 1980s through 1995 under then head football coaches, William "Billy" Joe (1981 to 1993) and Rick Comegy (1993 to 1996).[6] Under Billy Joe, the Marauders were NCAA Division II runners-up in 1983 and won the NAIA Football National Championship (Division I) in 1990 and 1992.[6] Under Comegy, a former assistant coach under Joe, the Marauders won the NAIA Football National Championship (Division I) in 1995.[6] The heyday of Central State football ended in the late 1990s when the university administration was forced to drop the football program in 1997 due to financial difficulties and a significant drop of enrollment.[7] In 2005, under new administration leadership of president Dr. John W. Garland, Esq, (Class of 1971), the university reinstated the Central State Marauder football program.[6]
Notable Marauder alumni who went on to play in the National Football League include: Vince Heflin, Vince Buck, Erik Williams, Hugh Douglas, Charles Hope, Brandon Hayes, Mel Lunsford, Kerwin Waldroup, and Dayvon Ross.[6]
References
edit- ^ Central State University Standards Guide (PDF). Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ^ "NAIA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). Men’s Championship History. NAIA. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ "NAIA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). NAIA. NAIA.org. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ "NAIA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). NAIA Sports Information Directors Manual. NAIA. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ^ "NAIA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). NAIA. NAIAHonors.com. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Wright, Branson (September 10, 2011). "Cleveland Classic: Central State hopes it can return to its former glory". Cleveland.com. The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
- ^ Price, Gilbert (2010). "Central State University growing, but still challenged". Call & Post; All-Ohio edition.