Nebraska–Kearney Lopers
{{Infobox college athletics
| name = Nebraska–Kearney Lopers
| logo = Nebraska–Kearney Lopers logo.svg
| logo_width = 200
| university = University of Nebraska at Kearney
| association = NCAA
| conference = The MIAA
| division = Division II
| director = Marc Bauer
| location = Kearney, Nebraska
| teams = 17
| stadium = Ron & Carol Cope Stadium
| basketballarena = Health and Sports Center
| baseballfield = Kearney Memorial Field
| mascot = Louie
| nickname = Loper
| fightsong = "We Fight for UNK!"
| pageurl = https://lopers.com/
| altlogo = 200px
}}
The Nebraska–Kearney Lopers are the athletic teams that represent the University of Nebraska at Kearney, located in Kearney, Nebraska, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) for most of its sports since the 2012–13 academic year;{{cite news|last=Corbitt|first=Ken|publisher=The Topeka Capital-Journal|title=Newcomers add strength to rugged MIAA|url=http://cjonline.com/sports/2012-08-23/newcomers-add-strength-rugged-miaa|date=August 23, 2012|access-date=2012-09-07}}{{cite web |last=Toppmeyer |first=Blake |url=http://www.maryvilledailyforum.com/homepage/x84678274/MIAA-adds-2-more-on-horizon |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714043950/http://www.maryvilledailyforum.com/homepage/x84678274/MIAA-adds-2-more-on-horizon |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2011-07-14 |title=MIAA adds 2, more on horizon – Maryville, MO |publisher=Maryville Daily Forum |access-date=2010-08-02 }} while its women's swimming and diving team competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).{{cite news|last=Staff|publisher=The American News|url=http://articles.aberdeennews.com/2012-04-12/sports/31333432_1_nsic-sport-nsu-teams|title=Swimming and Diving: NSIC|date=2012-04-12|access-date=2012-09-02}} The Lopers previously competed in the D-II Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) from 1994–95 to 2011–12 (which they were a member on a previous stint as a provisional member during the 1989–90 school year); and in the Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1976–77 to 1988–89.
Conference affiliations
- 1916–17 to 1927–28: Nebraska Collegiate Conference
- 1928–29 to 1942–43: Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- 1943–44 to 1975–76: Nebraska Collegiate Conference
- 1976–77 to 1988–89: Central States Intercollegiate Conference
- 1989–90 to 1993–94: Independent
- 1994–95 to 2011–12: Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
- 2012–13 to present: Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
Varsity teams
File:MIAA logo for Nebraska–Kearney.svg
UNK competes in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include basketball, cross country, football, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and wrestling; basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.
| class="wikitable" | |
| {{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Nebraska–Kearney Lopers|Men's sports|Women's sports}} | |
| Basketball | Basketball |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Football | Golf |
| Tennis (2023–24) | Soccer |
| Track and field† | Softball |
| Wrestling | Swimming and diving |
| Tennis | |
| Track and field† | |
| Volleyball | |
| colspan="2" style="{{NCAA secondary color cell|Nebraska–Kearney Lopers}}" | {{small|† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor}} |
=Softball=
The Lopers softball team appeared in the first three Women's College World Series in 1969, 1970 and 1971.{{cite book|title=A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series|first1=William|last1=Plummer|first2=Larry C. |last2=Floyd|year=2013|publisher= Turnkey Communications Inc.|location= Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States|isbn=978-0-9893007-0-4}}
=Women's swim and dive=
The Women's swim and dive team is an affiliate member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).
National championships
=Team=
| class="wikitable" |
| {{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Nebraska–Kearney Lopers|Sport|Association|Division|Year|Opponent/Runner-up|Score/Points}} |
| align="center"
|rowspan="2"| Softball (2) |rowspan="2"| NAIA |rowspan="2"| Single |1987 |1–0 |
| align="center"
|1990 |6–3 (8 innings) |
| align="center"
|rowspan="5"| Wrestling (5) |rowspan="5"| NCAA |rowspan="5"| Division II |2008 |108.5–108 |
| align="center"
|2012 |107–95 |
| align="center"
|2013 |St. Cloud State |108–105 |
| align="center"
|2022 |127–86 |
| align="center"
|2025 |115–63 |
Mascot
The mascot at University of Nebraska at Kearney is Louie, who has been at the college since the beginning. He is always at every UNK Athletic event cheering on the Lopers with the cheerleaders.{{cite web |url=http://www.lopers.com/sports/2012/11/16/GEN_1116125924.aspx?tab=louieloper|title=Nebraska Kearney Lopers – Louie Loper |work=lopers.com}}
Facilities
- Foster Field at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium – Home of the Loper football and soccer teams{{cite web |url=http://www.lopers.com/sports/2009/10/14/Cope%20Stadium%20pic.aspx?tab=copestadiumfosterfield|title=Nebraska Kearney Lopers – Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field|work=lopers.com}}
- Cushing Pool – Home of the Loper Swim & Dive team{{cite web |url=http://www.lopers.com/sports/2009/10/14/Cushing%20Pool.aspx?tab=cushingpool|title=Nebraska Kearney Lopers – Cushing Pool |work=lopers.com}}
- Dryden Park – Home of the UNK Softball team{{cite web |url=http://www.lopers.com/sports/2009/10/14/Dryden%20Park.aspx?tab=drydenpark|title=Nebraska Kearney Lopers – Dryden Park |work=lopers.com}}
- Harmon Park – Home of the UNK Tennis team{{cite web |url=http://www.lopers.com/sports/2009/10/14/Harmon%20Park.aspx?tab=harmonpark|title=Nebraska Kearney Lopers – Harmon Park |work=lopers.com}}
- Health and Sports Center – Home of the UNK Basketball, Wrestling, and Volleyball teams{{cite web |url=http://www.lopers.com/sports/2009/10/14/Sports%20Center.aspx?tab=healthsportscenter|title=Nebraska Kearney Lopers – Health & Sports Center|work=lopers.com}}
- Kearney Memorial Field – Home of the UNK Baseball team (Once home to a New York Yankees minor league team, Nebraska State League){{cite web|url=http://www.lopers.com/sports/2009/10/14/MEMORIAL%20FIELD.aspx?tab=memorialfield |title=Nebraska Kearney Lopers – Memorial Field|work=lopers.com}}
Notable alumni
- Kamaru Usman, former UFC Welterweight Champion and 2010 NCAA Division II Wrestling champion
- Stephen Goodin, NFL player
- Randy Rasmussen, former New York Jets player
- Joba Chamberlain, New York Yankees pitcher
- Tervel Dlagnev, Olympic Wrestler
- Mason Brodine, tight end for the St. Louis Rams
- Arthur Hobbs, defensive back for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
- George Murdoch, Professional Wrestler, currently signed to the Nation Wrestling Alliance under the ring name Tyrus
References
{{Reflist|30em}}