University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin, often called UT or Texas, is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. US News consistently ranks Texas the best public university in the state and, in its 2006 rankings places it 17th among all public research universities in the U.S.http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/premium/natudoc/natudoc_pub.php. It is considered one of eight Public Ivies. The university is one of the largest single-campuses in the nation by enrollment, with nearly 50,000 undergraduates and graduate students attending.

Athletics

The University of Texas offers a wide variety of varsity and intramural sports programs. Due to the breadth of sports offered and the quality of the programs, Texas was selected as "America's Best Sports College" in a 2002 analysis performed by Sports Illustrated.

Related Topics:
2002 - Sports Illustrated

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Varsity Sports

Men's and Women's athletics teams at the University of Texas are nicknamed the Longhorns. The name derives from the Texas longhorn cattle breed that featured prominently in Texas history.

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A charter member of the Southwest Conference until its dissolution in 1996, Texas now competes in the Big 12 Conference (South Division) of the NCAA's Division I-A. The school's colors are burnt orange and white, and its alma mater is "The Eyes of Texas." http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/print/EE/xee1.html. At football games, students frequently sing Texas Fight, the University's fight song. The mascot is a Texas longhorn named Bevo.

Related Topics:
Southwest Conference - 1996 - Big 12 Conference - NCAA - Burnt orange - The Eyes of Texas - Texas Fight - Mascot - Texas longhorn - Bevo

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The University has traditionally been considered a college football powerhouse. During the period from 1936 to 2004, the team finished the season in the top ten 23 times, or one-third of the time, according to the Associated Press Poll. The team experienced its greatest success when it was coached by Darrell Royal, and under Coach Royal it won three National Championships, in 1963, 1969, and 1970. During the late 1980s and 1990s, the team was less successful, but has recently returned to prominence, finishing in the top ten in 2001, 2002, and 2004. The team currently plays in Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium which has a capacity of over 80,000. Under the current bowl system, the Longhorns played their first Bowl Championship Series game in 2005 at the Rose Bowl against the University of Michigan. The game was the first meeting between the two storied teams and the Longhorns' first trip to the Rose Bowl or a BCS game. The Longhorns defeated the Wolverines 38-37. Three ex-Longhorns from the 2005 Rose Bowl team, Cedric Benson, Derrick Johnson, and Bo Scaife, were selected in the 2005 NFL Draft. Two Texas Longhorn running backs have won college football's highest honor, the Heisman Trophy: Earl Campbell (1977) and Ricky Williams (1998). Other former Longhorn greats include: Scott Appleton, Tommy Nobis, Bobby Layne, Tom Landry, Jerry Sisemore, Brad Shearer, Kenneth Sims, Tony Degrate, Doug English, Jerry Gray, Eric Metcalf, Tony Brackens, Priest Holmes, and many more.

Related Topics:
College football - Associated Press - Darrell Royal - 1963 - 1969 - 1970 - Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium - Bowl Championship Series - 2005 - Rose Bowl - University of Michigan - Cedric Benson - Derrick Johnson - Bo Scaife - 2005 NFL Draft - Heisman Trophy - Earl Campbell - Ricky Williams - Priest Holmes

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In recent years, the men's basketball team has gained prominence. In 2003, the basketball team advanced to the NCAA Tournament Final Four round, and in 2004 advanced to the Sweet Sixteen round. The women's basketball team has long been a national power, especially during the late 1980s (winning a National Title in 1986) and through the 1990s.

Related Topics:
Basketball - NCAA Tournament - Final Four - Sweet Sixteen

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The University's baseball team is considered one of the best in the nation with more trips to the College World Series than any other school, extending their record in 2005 to 32 appearances. Texas has won the College World Series 6 times: 1949, 1950, 1970, 1983, 2002 and 2005. The team was runner-up 5 other times: 1953, 1984, 1985, 1989, and 2004. Former Longhorns who went on to success in the pros include Roger Clemens, Calvin Schiraldi, Burt Hooton, Keith Moreland, Spike Owen, Greg Swindell, and many more.

Related Topics:
Baseball - College World Series - 2005 - 1949 - 1950 - 1970 - 1983 - 2002 - 2005 - 1953 - 1984 - 1985 - 1989 - 2004

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Texas has a strong golf tradition winning National Titles in 1971 and 1972 and finishing runner-up four other times. Several former Longhorn players have gone on to success on the PGA Tour including: Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Phil Blackmar, Mark Brooks, Bob Estes, and Justin Leonard. Legendary golf instructor Harvey Penick was a long-time Texas coach.

Related Topics:
Tom Kite - Ben Crenshaw - Harvey Penick

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The women's gymnastics team won a national title April 16, 2005 at the Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs competition, and the men's team finished second, missing out on the national title by seven-tenths of a point to Penn State.

Related Topics:
Gymnastics - April 16 - 2005 - Penn State

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In addition, Texas has won nine National Titles in men's swimming and diving (1981, 1988-1991, 1996, 2000-2002) and nine in Women's Swimming & Diving (1981-82, 1984-88, 1990-91). Texas women's cross country won a National Title in 1986. Women's tennis claimed the title in 1993 and 1995. Women's track and field achieved national indoor titles in 1986, 1988, 1990, 1998-99, and outdoor titles in 1982, 1986, 1998-99, 2005. Volleyball achieved titles in 1981 and 1988.

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Gold

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Silver

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Bronze

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2004

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9

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4

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6

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2000

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9

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9

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2

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1996

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7

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2

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3

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1992

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5

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3

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3

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1988

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5

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4

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1

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1984

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5

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1

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0

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Prev.

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8

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1

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0

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Total

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48

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24

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15

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Several Longhorn athletes have had success at the Olympics over the years. The table at right shows Longhorn medals won in the Summer Olympics.

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Rivalries

The University's major rival in almost every sport is Texas A&M University, although some would argue that the Longhorns' biggest rival in football is the Oklahoma Sooners.

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The Texas/Texas A&M rivalry has given rise to several stereotypes on both sides: Aggies are generally portrayed as ignorant and dumb farmers, while Longhorns are portrayed as highbrow and arrogant city-slickers. The annual football game with Texas A&M takes place the day after Thanksgiving each year. In an attempt to generate more attention for the rivalry in sports other than football, in 2004 the two schools started the Lone Star Showdown, a trial two-year program. Essentially, each time the two schools meet in a sport, the winner of the matchup gets a point. At the end of the year, the school with the most points wins the series and will receive a trophy.

Related Topics:
Thanksgiving - 2004 - Lone Star Showdown

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There is also a longstanding rivalry with the University of Oklahoma. In recent years, this rivalry has taken on added significance, since both football programs have been highly ranked and compete in the same division of the Big 12 conference. The football game between University of Texas and Oklahoma is known as the "Red River Shootout" and is held annually in Dallas, Texas at the Cotton Bowl.

Related Topics:
University of Oklahoma - Red River Shootout - Dallas, Texas - Cotton Bowl

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Perhaps due to the Longhorns' enduring athletic success, many other schools consider UT among their biggest rivals. This list includes most other colleges in Texas, but especially Baylor (located just up Interstate 35 from UT), Texas Tech, and Houston (both large state-sponsored schools that do not receive the same level of attention as UT and A&M). Texas is also the biggest rival of the University of Arkansas which perhaps may be attributed to their long tenure as the two eponymous state schools of the former Southwest Conference, or to the 1969 game between the two, which decided the national championship in favor of the Longhorns.

Related Topics:
Baylor - Interstate 35 - Texas Tech - Houston - University of Arkansas - Southwest Conference - 1969

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Intramural Sports

UT offers a large number of intramural sports opportunities. Some of these teams compete with other university clubs.

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The women's volleyball club won National Championship honors at the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Collegiate Volleyball Sport Club Championships April 14 - April 16, 2005 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Related Topics:
Volleyball - April 14 - April 16 - 2005 - Kansas City, Missouri

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Athletic facilities

Major sporting facilities and their main use are:

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• Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium - football
• Frank Erwin Special Events Centerhttp://texassports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=124 - basketball
• Disch-Falk Fieldhttp://texassports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=125 - baseball
• Mike A. Myers Stadiumhttp://texassports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=126 - soccer
• Red and Charline McCombs Fieldhttp://texassports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=127 - softball
• Gregory Gymnasiumhttp://texassports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=128 - volleyball
• Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Centerhttp://texassports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=129 - swimming and diving
• Penick-Allison Tennis Centerhttp://texassports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=130 - tennis
• Texas Rowing Centerhttp://texassports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=131 - rowing

In addition, the University of Texas has numerous practice and training facilities, as well as intramural facilities.

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