:East Central Tigers
{{Short description|Collegiate sports club in the United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox college athletics
| name = East Central Tigers
| logo = East Central Tigers logo.svg
| logo_width = 200
| university = East Central University
| association = NCAA
| conference = GAC
| division = Division II
| director = Matt Cole
| location = Ada, Oklahoma
| first season =
| teams = 13
| mens_teams = 6
| womens_teams = 7
| coed_teams =
| stadium = Koi Ishto Stadium
| basketballarena = Kerr Activities Center
| baseballfield = Ken Turner Field
| soccerstadium = Tiger Field
| mascot = Roary the Tiger
| nickname = Tigers
| pageurl = https://ecutigers.com/
}}
The East Central Tigers (also ECU Tigers) are the athletic teams that represent East Central University, located in Ada, Oklahoma, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Tigers compete as members of the Great American Conference for all 11 varsity sports.
Sports sponsored
| class= wikitable
! width= 150px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|East Central Tigers|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Men's sports ! width= 150px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|East Central Tigers|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Women's sports | |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross Country |
| Cross Country | Golf |
| Football | Soccer |
| Golf | Softball |
| Track and Field | Track and Field |
| Volleyball |
In March 2016, the school announced that it was suspending golf and tennis due to budget cuts by the state of Oklahoma.{{cite news|last1=McWilliams|first1=Joey|title=ECU to suspend golf and tennis programs|url=http://oklahomasports.net/ecu-cuts-tennis-golf-2016/|access-date=January 6, 2017|date=March 10, 2016}}
National championships
=Team=
| class="wikitable" |
| {{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=East Central Tigers|Sport|Association|Division|Year|Opponent/Runner-up|Score}} |
| align="center"
|rowspan="1"| Football (1) |rowspan="1"| NAIA |rowspan="1"| Division I | 1993 | 49–35 |
Individual sports
=Football=
In 1993, the Tigers won the NAIA national football championship against Glenville State 49-35 at ECU's Norris Field. In 2011[http://ecutigers.com/index.aspx?tab=wsoc&tab=soccer&path=wsoc women's soccer] the Tigers won the inaugural GAC regular season championship and the Conference tournament championship.
=Basketball=
For three seasons — from 1928 through 1931, when the school was known as Ada Teachers College — the Tigers men's basketball team played at a major competitive level comparable to what since 1973 would be considered NCAA Division I.{{Cite web |title=East Central TigersSchool History |work=sports-reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/east-central/ |access-date=May 8, 2021}} During these years, Tigers guard Bart Carlton was a two-time All-American in 1930 and 1931.[http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/m_basketball_RB/2009/Award.pdf NCAA Record Book - Award Winners] p.137. Retrieved October 3, 2010. In 1944, the Helms Athletic Foundation retroactively selected him as the Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year for the 1930–31 NCAA men's basketball season.{{Cite web |title=Helms Foundation Player of the Year Winners |work=sports-reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |date=2010 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/awards/helms-poy.html |access-date=December 7, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706224220/http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/awards/helms-poy.html |archive-date=July 6, 2014}}
On November 20, 2008, the Tigers men's basketball team and Texas Tech set school records for points scored in a game in a 167–115 Tigers loss to the Red Raiders.[https://web.archive.org/web/20201109020044/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=283252641 167-115 loss to Red Raiders]{{Cite web |url=http://www.ecok.edu/distance_ed/index.htm |title=Distance Education-Centers and Programs-East Central University-Ada, Oklahoma|access-date=February 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901031512/http://www1.ecok.edu/distance_ed/index.htm |archive-date=September 1, 2013 |url-status=dead}}
=Esports=
East Central University relaunched a new sport program in 2024. In Fall 2024, the Tigers won the NECC Division VII national League of Legends championship.
Alumni
- Harry "The Cat" Brecheen, former baseball player
- Bart Carlton, Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year and DX-Oilers national championship Amateur Athletic Union basketball player
- Mark Gastineau, professional football player{{cite web|title=Gastineau Turns Corporate|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/12/13/gastineau-turns-corporate/|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=December 13, 1985}}
- Todd Graham, former University of Hawaii head football coach
- Christopher Lane, baseball player{{cite web|title=Remembering Chris Lane|url=https://www.ecok.edu/article/remembering-chris-lane|access-date=January 8, 2017|date=August 22, 2013}}
- Dewey McClain, football player and congressman{{cite web|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/business/dewey-mcclain-named-local-labor-leader/nTrMd/ |title=Dewey McClain named local labor leader |publisher=www.ajc.com |access-date=November 4, 2013}}
- Gil Morgan, professional golfer
- Red Phillips{{cite web|title=Red Phillips Stats|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=phillre01|access-date=January 8, 2017}}
- Brad Calip, college football hall-of-famer
- Cliff Thrift, former San Diego Chargers, Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams professional football player
- Lloyd Waner, baseball hall-of-famer{{cite web|title=Lloyd Waner|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wanerll01.shtml}}
- Paul Waner, baseball hall-of-famer
- Armonty Bryant, professional football player
- Caleb Holley, professional football player
- David Moore, professional football player
References
{{reflist}}