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{{Short description|Athletic program of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox college athletics
{{Infobox college athletics
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| university = [[University of Arkansas at Little Rock]]
| university = [[University of Arkansas at Little Rock]]
| association = NCAA
| association = NCAA
| conference = [[Sun Belt Conference]]<br>[[Pac-12 Conference]] (wrestling only)
| conference = [[Ohio Valley Conference|OVC]] (primary)<br>[[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-12]] (wrestling)<br>[[Missouri Valley Conference]] (women's swimming & diving)
| division = [[NCAA Division I|Division I]]
| division = [[NCAA Division I|Division I]]
| director = George Lee
| director = George Lee
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| soccerstadium = Coleman Sports & Recreation Complex
| soccerstadium = Coleman Sports & Recreation Complex
| arena = [[Jack Stephens Center]]
| arena = [[Jack Stephens Center]]
| arena2 = Donaghey Student Center Aquatic Center
| arena2 = Donaghey Student Center Aquatic Center<br />[[Simmons Bank Arena]]
| nickname = Trojans
| nickname = Trojans
| pageurl = http://www.lrtrojans.com/
| pageurl = http://www.lrtrojans.com/
}}
}}
The '''Little Rock Trojans''' are the athletic teams representing the [[University of Arkansas at Little Rock]]. The Trojans are a non-football member of the [[Sun Belt Conference]] and a wrestling affiliate member of the [[Pac-12 Conference]]. The University offers 7 men's and 8 women's varsity sports. Little Rock has Sun Belt rivalries with all the West Division schools (Arkansas State, Louisiana–Monroe, Louisiana–Lafayette, Texas State, and UT Arlington). Little Rock's primary Sun Belt rival is [[Arkansas State Red Wolves|Arkansas State]].
The '''Little Rock Trojans''' are the athletic teams representing the [[University of Arkansas at Little Rock]]. The Trojans are a non-football member of the [[Ohio Valley Conference]] and a wrestling affiliate member of the [[Pac-12 Conference]]. The university offers 7 men's and 8 women's varsity sports. Little Rock has Sun Belt rivalries with all the West Division schools (Arkansas State, Louisiana–Monroe, Louisiana–Lafayette, Texas State, and UT Arlington). Little Rock's primary in-state rival is [[Arkansas State Red Wolves|Arkansas State]].


For the 2005–06 [[college basketball|basketball]] season, the Trojans moved into the $25 million [[Jack Stephens Center]]. This new facility almost doubled the [[seating capacity]] of the old Little Rock gym, with 5,600 seats and {{convert|149000|sqft|m2}} of space.
For the 2005–06 [[college basketball|basketball]] season, the Trojans moved into the $25 million [[Jack Stephens Center]]. This new facility almost doubled the [[seating capacity]] of the old Little Rock gym, with 5,600 seats and {{convert|149000|sqft|m2}} of space.


On July 1, 2015, the Trojans officially announced they would no longer be branded as "Arkansas–Little Rock" or "UALR," but will be the Little Rock Trojans effective immediately.<ref name="NewUALRBrand">{{cite press release|title=Conque Announces Logos, Little Rock Trojans Brand|url=http://www.lrtrojans.com/news/2015/6/29/athletics_0629150244.aspx|website=LRTrojans.com|date=July 1, 2015|access-date=March 15, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title="Little Rock Trojans" New Team Name for UALR|url=http://www.fox16.com/story/d/story/little-rock-trojans-new-team-name-for-ualr/19847/G7BQKBwWkkm39UgvWnX3cQ|publisher=[[KLRT-TV]]|date=July 1, 2015|access-date=July 1, 2015}}</ref>
On July 1, 2015, the Trojans officially announced they would no longer be branded as "Arkansas–Little Rock" or "UALR," but will be the Little Rock Trojans effective immediately.<ref name="NewUALRBrand">{{cite press release|title=Conque Announces Logos, Little Rock Trojans Brand|url=http://www.lrtrojans.com/news/2015/6/29/athletics_0629150244.aspx|website=LRTrojans.com|date=July 1, 2015|access-date=March 15, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title="Little Rock Trojans" New Team Name for UALR|url=http://www.fox16.com/story/d/story/little-rock-trojans-new-team-name-for-ualr/19847/G7BQKBwWkkm39UgvWnX3cQ|publisher=[[KLRT-TV]]|date=July 1, 2015|access-date=July 1, 2015}}</ref>

Starting in the 2022-23 athletic season the Trojans will join the Ohio Valley Conference as their primary athletic conference.<ref name="LR Joins OVC">{{cite web|title=Little Rock Receives Board Approval To Join Ohio Valley Conference|url=https://lrtrojans.com/news/2021/12/8/little-rock-announces-thursday-press-conference-regarding-future-of-trojan-athletics.aspx|date=December 8, 2021}}</ref>


== Sports ==
== Sports ==
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| colspan="2" style="{{NCAA secondary color cell|Little Rock Trojans}}" | {{small|† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor}}
| colspan="2" style="{{NCAA secondary color cell|Little Rock Trojans}}" | {{small|† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor}}
|}
|}
[[File:Sun Belt logo in Little Rock colors.svg|thumb|240px|Little Rock is a member of the Sun Belt Conference]]
[[File:Ohio Valley Conference logo in Little Rock colors.svg|thumb|240px|Little Rock is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference as of July 1, 2022]]


=== Basketball ===
=== Basketball ===
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In the years since becoming a four-year university, Little Rock has won slightly more games than they've lost. However, during the six-year coaching tenure of Mike Newell, the Trojans made a big splash on the national stage. Appearing in their first ever NCAA tournament game in [[1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1986]], the 14th seeded Little Rock beat the heavily favored and 3rd seeded [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish]], coached by [[Digger Phelps]], now a college basketball analyst for [[ESPN]], 90 to 83. The Trojans lost in the second round to [[North Carolina State Wolfpack|North Carolina State]], 80 to 66 in two overtimes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://admin.xosn.com//pdf4/23561.pdf?SPSID=36828&SPID=2823&DB_OEM_ID=7400 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-08-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919144357/http://admin.xosn.com//pdf4/23561.pdf?SPSID=36828&SPID=2823&DB_OEM_ID=7400 |archive-date=September 19, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
In the years since becoming a four-year university, Little Rock has won slightly more games than they've lost. However, during the six-year coaching tenure of Mike Newell, the Trojans made a big splash on the national stage. Appearing in their first ever NCAA tournament game in [[1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1986]], the 14th seeded Little Rock beat the heavily favored and 3rd seeded [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish]], coached by [[Digger Phelps]], now a college basketball analyst for [[ESPN]], 90 to 83. The Trojans lost in the second round to [[North Carolina State Wolfpack|North Carolina State]], 80 to 66 in two overtimes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://admin.xosn.com//pdf4/23561.pdf?SPSID=36828&SPID=2823&DB_OEM_ID=7400 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-08-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919144357/http://admin.xosn.com//pdf4/23561.pdf?SPSID=36828&SPID=2823&DB_OEM_ID=7400 |archive-date=September 19, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>


The 1986 NCAA Tournament success led to post-season appearances for the Trojans in each of the next four seasons. In 1987, Little Rock beat [[Baylor Bears|Baylor]], [[Stephen F. Austin]] and [[California Bears|California]] to make it to the [[1987 National Invitation Tournament|National Invitation Tournament finals]] in [[New York City]]. The Trojans lost to both [[La Salle University|LaSalle]] and [[Nebraska Cornhuskers|Nebraska]] to finish fourth. The next season, Little Rock lost to [[Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball|Louisiana Tech]] in the first round of the [[1988 National Invitation Tournament|NIT]].
The 1986 NCAA Tournament success led to post-season appearances for the Trojans in each of the next four seasons. In 1987, Little Rock beat [[Baylor Bears|Baylor]], [[Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks and Ladyjacks|Stephen F. Austin]] and [[California Golden Bears|California]] to make it to the [[1987 National Invitation Tournament|National Invitation Tournament finals]] in [[New York City]]. The Trojans lost to both [[La Salle Explorers|LaSalle]] and [[Nebraska Cornhuskers|Nebraska]] to finish fourth. The next season, Little Rock lost to [[Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball|Louisiana Tech]] in the first round of the [[1988 National Invitation Tournament|NIT]].


The Trojans returned to the NCAA tournament in [[1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1989]] and [[1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1990]], losing to [[Louisville Cardinals|Louisville]] 76–71 in 1989 and to eventual tournament champion [[UNLV Rebels|UNLV]] 102–72 the next season.
The Trojans returned to the NCAA tournament in [[1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1989]] and [[1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1990]], losing to [[Louisville Cardinals|Louisville]] 76–71 in 1989 and to eventual tournament champion [[UNLV Rebels|UNLV]] 102–72 the next season.
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With five tournament appearances out of six seasons in Little Rock, Newell departed after the 1990 season and the Trojans didn't return to post-season play until the [[1996 National Invitation Tournament|1996 NIT]] under coach [[Wimp Sanderson]], the Trojans' most recent tournament game.
With five tournament appearances out of six seasons in Little Rock, Newell departed after the 1990 season and the Trojans didn't return to post-season play until the [[1996 National Invitation Tournament|1996 NIT]] under coach [[Wimp Sanderson]], the Trojans' most recent tournament game.


The Trojans played in the [[2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|2011 NCAA Tournament]] after winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship; it is the first appearance for the Trojans since 1990.
The Trojans played in the [[2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|2011 NCAA Tournament]], their first appearance since 1990, after winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship.


The women's team has also had its fair share of success since beginning play in 1969 and joining Division I in 1999. They have won the conference tournament in 2011, 2012, 2015 while competing in the NCAA tournament four times in the past seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015), while going to the Second Round in the first and latter appearances.
The women's team has also had its fair share of success since beginning play in 1969 and joining Division I in 1999. They have won the conference tournament in 2011, 2012, 2015 while competing in the NCAA tournament four times in the past seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015), while going to the Second Round in the first and latter appearances.
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=== Football ===
=== Football ===
Though the football program has long since been disbanded, the Trojans were a national powerhouse when the school was known as Little Rock Junior College. Coach Jimmy Karam revived a program in 1947 that hadn't played football since 1933.<ref>[http://ualr.edu/development/story.asp?ID=67 ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061212183604/http://ualr.edu/development/story.asp?ID=67 |date=December 12, 2006 }}</ref> The team won the 1947 Coffee Bowl 31–7 against Coffeyville Junior College and played in the 1948 Junior Sugar Bowl, losing 18–7 to South Georgia. In 1949, the team went undefeated and won the [[Pasadena Bowl|Junior Rose Bowl]] in [[Pasadena, California]], defeating Santa Ana Junior College 25–19 and earned the junior college national championship. The LRJC team had played their way to the Junior Rose Bowl by winning the Little Rock Shrine Bowl for the right to meet the California junior college champion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ualrtrojans.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7400&ATCLID=323822 |title=Little Rock Athletics - Junior College Rose Bowl Champions Receive Rings |publisher=Ualrtrojans.com |access-date=October 15, 2015}}</ref>
Though the football program has long since been disbanded, the Trojans were a national powerhouse when the school was known as Little Rock Junior College. Coach Jimmy Karam revived a program in 1947 that hadn't played football since 1933.<ref>[http://ualr.edu/development/story.asp?ID=67] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061212183604/http://ualr.edu/development/story.asp?ID=67|date=December 12, 2006}}</ref> The team won the 1947 Coffee Bowl 31–7 against Coffeyville Junior College and played in the 1948 Junior Sugar Bowl, losing 18–7 to South Georgia. In 1949, the team went undefeated and won the [[Pasadena Bowl|Junior Rose Bowl]] in [[Pasadena, California]], defeating Santa Ana Junior College 25–19 and earned the junior college national championship. The LRJC team had played their way to the Junior Rose Bowl by winning the Little Rock Shrine Bowl for the right to meet the California junior college champion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ualrtrojans.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7400&ATCLID=323822 |title=Little Rock Athletics - Junior College Rose Bowl Champions Receive Rings |publisher=Ualrtrojans.com |access-date=October 15, 2015}}</ref>


=== Wrestling ===
=== Wrestling ===
On March 17, 2018, just hours before the start of the Division I NCAA wrestling championship finals, Little Rock announced the addition of a wrestling program. The school received a $1.4 million pledge from Arkansas businessman Greg Hatcher, considered the father of Arkansas wrestling for helping the sport grow in a state that did not field high school wrestling programs before 2008. The program is set to begin in 2019 and would be the first Division I program in Arkansas.<ref>[http://lrtrojans.com/news/2018/3/17/athletics-little-rock-announces-addition-of-wrestling-program.aspx Announcement from Little Rock athletic website]</ref><ref>[https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2018/March/17/UA-Little-Rock-to-add-varsity-mens-Div-I-wrestling Team USA announcement]</ref> Little Rock joins [[Presbyterian Blue Hose|Presbyterian]] and the unified [[Long Island University]] program as new Division I programs in 2019. In June 2018, Little Rock named former Oklahoma State wrestler and assistant Neil Erisman as their first head coach.
On March 17, 2018, just hours before the start of the Division I NCAA wrestling championship finals, Little Rock announced the addition of a wrestling program. The school received a $1.4 million pledge from Arkansas businessman Greg Hatcher, considered the father of Arkansas wrestling for helping the sport grow in a state that did not sanction high school wrestling before 2008. The program began in 2019 and is the first Division I program in Arkansas.<ref>[http://lrtrojans.com/news/2018/3/17/athletics-little-rock-announces-addition-of-wrestling-program.aspx Announcement from Little Rock athletic website]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180319004223/https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2018/March/17/UA-Little-Rock-to-add-varsity-mens-Div-I-wrestling Team USA announcement]</ref> Little Rock joins [[Presbyterian Blue Hose|Presbyterian]] and the unified [[LIU Sharks|Long Island University]] program as new Division I programs in 2019. In June 2018, Little Rock named former Oklahoma State wrestler and assistant Neil Erisman as their first head coach.


Little Rock's first commit was Kansas state champion Conner Ward.<ref>[https://admin.lrtrojans.com/news/2018/9/24/wrestling-conner-ward-commences-building-of-trojan-roster.aspx CONNER WARD COMMENCES BUILDING OF TROJAN ROSTER]</ref>
Little Rock's first commit was Kansas state champion Conner Ward.<ref>[https://admin.lrtrojans.com/news/2018/9/24/wrestling-conner-ward-commences-building-of-trojan-roster.aspx CONNER WARD COMMENCES BUILDING OF TROJAN ROSTER]</ref>


As a member of the non-wrestling Sun Belt, the team will be an associate member of the [[Pac-12]]. On January 24, 2021, Little Rock had its first win against a Division I school (Fresno State) and followed it up with a win against Pac-12 rival CSU Bakersfield.
As a member of the non-wrestling Ohio Valley Conference (just like its previous conference, the Sun Belt), the team is an associate member of the [[Pac-12]]. On January 24, 2021, Little Rock had its first win against a Division I school (Fresno State) and followed it up with a win against Pac-12 rival CSU Bakersfield.


Paul Bianchi became the school's first NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds in 2021.
Paul Bianchi became the school's first NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds in 2021. He finished 1–2 in the tournament, earning the Trojans their first NCAA Tournament win and finishing T58 with half a point.

The 2023-24 season was Little Rock's best to date. After nine combined wins in its first four seasons, Little Rock exceeded that total during the season. On January 19, 2024, the Trojans had its first win over a nationally ranked opponent, 24th ranked Arizona State. Little Rock reached 17th in the national rankings in February 2024, the first time any Trojan program reached the top 20, and had seven wrestlers in the coaches rankings, one of the factors that determine at-large bids for the national championship. The Trojans won the regular season Pac-12 title with a 4-1 record, 15-5 overall. Little Rock finished second in the Pac-12 tournament with three conference champions and five NCAA qualifiers. Nasir Bailey became the program's first All-American at 133, followed shortly thereafter by Stephen Little at 197. Bailey's fourth and Little's seventh earned the Trojans a 19th place finish in the national tournament with 24 team points.

== National championships ==
=== Team ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Little Rock Trojans|Sport|Association|Division|Year|Runner-up|Score}}
|- align="center"
| rowspan="2" | Women's tennis (2)
| rowspan="2" | [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics|NAIA]]
| rowspan="2" | [[NAIA women's tennis championships|Single]]<ref>{{cite web|title=NAIA Women's Tennis Championship Results |url =https://www.naia.org/sports/wten/Records/WTENNIS_Championship.pdf |work=NAIA|publisher=NAIA.org|access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>
| 1984
| [[UT Permian Basin Falcons women's tennis|UT Permian Basin]]
| 33–29 (+4)
|- align="center"
| 1985
| [[North Florida Ospreys women's tennis|North Florida]]
| 33–28 (+5)
|}


== References ==
== References ==
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|titlestyle = {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Little Rock Trojans|color=white}}
|titlestyle = {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Little Rock Trojans|color=white}}
|list =
|list =
{{Sun Belt Conference navbox}}
{{Ohio Valley Conference navbox}}
{{Missouri Valley Conference navbox}}<!--Women's swimming-->
{{Missouri Valley Conference navbox}}<!--Women's swimming-->
{{Pac-12 Conference navbox}}<!--Wrestling-->
{{Pac-12 Conference navbox}}<!--Wrestling-->

Latest revision as of 17:28, 22 August 2024

Little Rock Trojans
Logo
UniversityUniversity of Arkansas at Little Rock
ConferenceOVC (primary)
Pac-12 (wrestling)
Missouri Valley Conference (women's swimming & diving)
NCAADivision I
Athletic directorGeorge Lee
LocationLittle Rock, Arkansas
Varsity teams15 (7 men, 8 women)
ArenaJack Stephens Center
Baseball stadiumGary Hogan Field
Soccer stadiumColeman Sports & Recreation Complex
Other venuesDonaghey Student Center Aquatic Center
Simmons Bank Arena
NicknameTrojans
ColorsMaroon, silver, and white[1]
     
Websitewww.lrtrojans.com

The Little Rock Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The Trojans are a non-football member of the Ohio Valley Conference and a wrestling affiliate member of the Pac-12 Conference. The university offers 7 men's and 8 women's varsity sports. Little Rock has Sun Belt rivalries with all the West Division schools (Arkansas State, Louisiana–Monroe, Louisiana–Lafayette, Texas State, and UT Arlington). Little Rock's primary in-state rival is Arkansas State.

For the 2005–06 basketball season, the Trojans moved into the $25 million Jack Stephens Center. This new facility almost doubled the seating capacity of the old Little Rock gym, with 5,600 seats and 149,000 square feet (13,800 m2) of space.

On July 1, 2015, the Trojans officially announced they would no longer be branded as "Arkansas–Little Rock" or "UALR," but will be the Little Rock Trojans effective immediately.[2][3]

Starting in the 2022-23 athletic season the Trojans will join the Ohio Valley Conference as their primary athletic conference.[4]

Sports

[edit]
Men's sports Women's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Cross country
Cross country Golf
Golf Soccer
Track and field† Swimming and diving
Wrestling Track and field†
Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor
Little Rock is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference as of July 1, 2022

Basketball

[edit]
Main articles: Little Rock Trojans men's basketball and Little Rock Trojans women's basketball

In the years since becoming a four-year university, Little Rock has won slightly more games than they've lost. However, during the six-year coaching tenure of Mike Newell, the Trojans made a big splash on the national stage. Appearing in their first ever NCAA tournament game in 1986, the 14th seeded Little Rock beat the heavily favored and 3rd seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish, coached by Digger Phelps, now a college basketball analyst for ESPN, 90 to 83. The Trojans lost in the second round to North Carolina State, 80 to 66 in two overtimes.[5]

The 1986 NCAA Tournament success led to post-season appearances for the Trojans in each of the next four seasons. In 1987, Little Rock beat Baylor, Stephen F. Austin and California to make it to the National Invitation Tournament finals in New York City. The Trojans lost to both LaSalle and Nebraska to finish fourth. The next season, Little Rock lost to Louisiana Tech in the first round of the NIT.

The Trojans returned to the NCAA tournament in 1989 and 1990, losing to Louisville 76–71 in 1989 and to eventual tournament champion UNLV 102–72 the next season.

With five tournament appearances out of six seasons in Little Rock, Newell departed after the 1990 season and the Trojans didn't return to post-season play until the 1996 NIT under coach Wimp Sanderson, the Trojans' most recent tournament game.

The Trojans played in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, their first appearance since 1990, after winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship.

The women's team has also had its fair share of success since beginning play in 1969 and joining Division I in 1999. They have won the conference tournament in 2011, 2012, 2015 while competing in the NCAA tournament four times in the past seven years (2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015), while going to the Second Round in the first and latter appearances.

Little Rock plays its home games in the Jack Stephens Center, an on-campus facility that seats 5,600. Prior to this home, the Trojans played at Alltel Arena (now Verizon Arena) in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Previous to that, Little Rock's home games were played in Barton Coliseum on the Arkansas State Fairgrounds in Little Rock.

Football

[edit]

Though the football program has long since been disbanded, the Trojans were a national powerhouse when the school was known as Little Rock Junior College. Coach Jimmy Karam revived a program in 1947 that hadn't played football since 1933.[6] The team won the 1947 Coffee Bowl 31–7 against Coffeyville Junior College and played in the 1948 Junior Sugar Bowl, losing 18–7 to South Georgia. In 1949, the team went undefeated and won the Junior Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, defeating Santa Ana Junior College 25–19 and earned the junior college national championship. The LRJC team had played their way to the Junior Rose Bowl by winning the Little Rock Shrine Bowl for the right to meet the California junior college champion.[7]

Wrestling

[edit]

On March 17, 2018, just hours before the start of the Division I NCAA wrestling championship finals, Little Rock announced the addition of a wrestling program. The school received a $1.4 million pledge from Arkansas businessman Greg Hatcher, considered the father of Arkansas wrestling for helping the sport grow in a state that did not sanction high school wrestling before 2008. The program began in 2019 and is the first Division I program in Arkansas.[8][9] Little Rock joins Presbyterian and the unified Long Island University program as new Division I programs in 2019. In June 2018, Little Rock named former Oklahoma State wrestler and assistant Neil Erisman as their first head coach.

Little Rock's first commit was Kansas state champion Conner Ward.[10]

As a member of the non-wrestling Ohio Valley Conference (just like its previous conference, the Sun Belt), the team is an associate member of the Pac-12. On January 24, 2021, Little Rock had its first win against a Division I school (Fresno State) and followed it up with a win against Pac-12 rival CSU Bakersfield.

Paul Bianchi became the school's first NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds in 2021. He finished 1–2 in the tournament, earning the Trojans their first NCAA Tournament win and finishing T58 with half a point.

The 2023-24 season was Little Rock's best to date. After nine combined wins in its first four seasons, Little Rock exceeded that total during the season. On January 19, 2024, the Trojans had its first win over a nationally ranked opponent, 24th ranked Arizona State. Little Rock reached 17th in the national rankings in February 2024, the first time any Trojan program reached the top 20, and had seven wrestlers in the coaches rankings, one of the factors that determine at-large bids for the national championship. The Trojans won the regular season Pac-12 title with a 4-1 record, 15-5 overall. Little Rock finished second in the Pac-12 tournament with three conference champions and five NCAA qualifiers. Nasir Bailey became the program's first All-American at 133, followed shortly thereafter by Stephen Little at 197. Bailey's fourth and Little's seventh earned the Trojans a 19th place finish in the national tournament with 24 team points.

National championships

[edit]

Team

[edit]
Sport Association Division Year Runner-up Score
Women's tennis (2) NAIA Single[11] 1984 UT Permian Basin 33–29 (+4)
1985 North Florida 33–28 (+5)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Trojan Athletics Marks – UALR". Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  2. ^ "Conque Announces Logos, Little Rock Trojans Brand". LRTrojans.com (Press release). July 1, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  3. ^ ""Little Rock Trojans" New Team Name for UALR". KLRT-TV. July 1, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  4. ^ "Little Rock Receives Board Approval To Join Ohio Valley Conference". December 8, 2021.
  5. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 19, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ [1] Archived December 12, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Little Rock Athletics - Junior College Rose Bowl Champions Receive Rings". Ualrtrojans.com. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  8. ^ Announcement from Little Rock athletic website
  9. ^ Team USA announcement
  10. ^ CONNER WARD COMMENCES BUILDING OF TROJAN ROSTER
  11. ^ "NAIA Women's Tennis Championship Results" (PDF). NAIA. NAIA.org. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
[edit]
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