Houston Athletics Ready to Enter New Era in its Conference History
6/23/2023 3:46:00 PM | General
Cougars to join Big 12 Conference at midnight, Saturday
HOUSTON – At the stroke of midnight, Saturday, a new era for the University of Houston Athletics Department begins as the Cougars officially enter the Big 12 Conference.
Houston fans will be energized as the Cougars return to old rivalries against Baylor, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and Texas and Oklahoma (if only for a year before the latter two depart from the league), continue recent rivalries from the American Athletic Conference vs. Cincinnati and UCF and restart younger ones against BYU, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and West Virginia.
The Big 12 will be the seventh league in which the University of Houston will compete in intercollegiate athletics. Men's Basketball is the only Houston Athletics sports program to win a conference championship in every league in which the Cougars have competed.
Football, Volleyball, Baseball, Men's Tennis and Men's Golf captured trophies from four different leagues while Men's and Women's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field each earned hardware from three different conferences.
As we move closer to Houston Athletics' transition into the Big 12, we look back at the proud conference history of Houston Athletics.
• Two Olympic medals
• Five NCAA individual and relay national championships
• One NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four
• 39 conference championships
• Nine Football bowl games
Despite only 10 years in the American Athletic Conference, Houston enjoyed a prolonged stretch of excellence during its time in the league.
The Cougars' 39 team conference championships were the second most in any league in school history. In addition, Houston recorded at least four conference titles in each of its final eight seasons in The American, a streak unmatched in UH history.
Swimming & Diving led the way by winning each of the last seven championships under Head Coaches Ryan Wochomurka and Tanica Jamison while Men's Basketball finished with six regular-season and tournament crowns under Head Coach Kelvin Sampson. Todd Whitting's Baseball squad recorded five conference championships, including a sweep of the 2017 American regular-season and tournament titles.
Indoor sprinter Elijah Hall won a pair of NCAA individual national championships (60-meter; 200-meter) in 2018 while Cameron Burrell captured the 100-meter title at the Outdoor Championships that season. Kahmari Montgomery won the 2019 title in the 400-meter competition of the outdoor season.
Houston Track and Field also collected a pair of Outdoor relay national titles during its time in The American.
• 13 Olympic medals | 7 Gold
• 11 NCAA individual national championships
• 59 conference championships
• Eight Football bowl games
From 1996 to 2013, Houston collected 59 conference championships, the most in any league.
In only their second year in the league, the Cougars won seven championships (Volleyball Tournament, Men's Indoor Track and Field, Men's Golf, Tennis, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field and Women's Indoor Track and Field). Two years later, Houston equaled that total in Baseball regular season and tournament, Volleyball, Men's Golf, Men's Indoor Track and Field and Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field.
Under legendary Head Coaches Tom Tellez and Leroy Burrell, Men's and Women's Track and Field led the Cougars for the Cougars as a Conference USA member, collecting 22 Men's Indoor and Outdoor titles and earning 11 Women's Indoor and Outdoor crowns.
Diver Yulia Pakhalina won five NCAA individual national championships and joined fellow diver Anastasia Pozdniakova and Jenny Adams (Women's Track and Field) as the winner of multiple championships during their careers.
Baseball utility star Brad Lincoln was named the 2006 National Player of the Year by multiple organizations and received the Dick Howser Trophy.
Pakhalina also was a leader for the Cougars in international competition, winning five Olympic medals, including one gold.
• 21 Olympics medals | 11 Gold
• 4 NCAA team national championships | 38 NCAA individual and relay national championships
• Three NCAA Men's Basketball Final Fours
• 37 conference championships
• Seven Football bowl games
Houston enjoyed its longest conference membership with the Southwest Conference from 1973 to 1996, compiling some of the most memorable moments in school history.
The Cougars tied their school single-season record with five conference titles in 1983-84 (Men's Basketball regular season, Men's Basketball tournament, Men's Golf, Women's Indoor Track and Field, Women's Outdoor Track and Field) as well as the Men's Golf NCAA team national championship.
Quarterback Andre Ware received college football's highest honor when he received the 1989 Heisman Trophy. Volleyball outside hitter and Hall of Famer Flo Hyman was recognized as the 1976 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women National Player of the Year.
Legendary athlete and current Track and Field Head Coach Carl Lewis led all Cougars with six NCAA individual national championships in Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, a school record that continues to stand today.
Swimmer Diane Johannigman won four NCAA individual national titles in the butterfly while Carol Lewis earned four NCAA national championships in Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field.
Men's Golf collected nine conference championships to go with four NCAA team national championships to lead all Cougar sport programs during their time in the Southwest Conference.
Men's Basketball advanced to three straight NCAA Final Fours (1982, 1983, 1984) with National Championship Game appearances in the final two years under Hall of Fame Head Coach Guy V. Lewis. The Cougars also enjoyed eight SWC regular-season and tournament titles.
Under Hall of Fame Head Coach Bill Yeoman, Football won four SWC regular-season titles, including the 1976 championship during its first year as a league member.
On the international stage, the Cougars earned 18 Olympic medals with Lewis winning a combined 10 medals – including nine gold – at the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games.
• Three Olympics medals | 2 Gold
• Eight NCAA team national championships | Five NCAA individual national championships
• Two NCAA Men's Basketball Final Fours
• One NCAA Men's College World Series
• Four Football bowl games
Following the 1959-60 season, Houston left the Missouri Valley Conference and competed as an independent for the next 13 seasons.
Despite the lack of a conference affiliation, the Cougars continued to win at the highest levels. Under the leadership of Hall of Fame Coach Johnny Morriss, Men's Cross Country won its lone NCAA team national championship in 1960.
Men's Golf continued to reign as the nation's best with NCAA team national championships in 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969 and 1970.
Men's Basketball advanced to its first two NCAA Final Fours in 1967 and 1968 with Hall of Fame forward Elvin Hayes being recognized as the Consensus National Player of the Year in 1968. Baseball returned to the NCAA Men's College World Series in 1967.
On the individual side, Kermit Zarley (1962), Marty Fleckman (1965) and John Mahaffey (1970) won NCAA national championships while Pat Clohessy won the 3-mile NCAA individual national titles in 1961 and 1962.
• Two Olympics medals
• Five NCAA team national championships | Seven NCAA team national championships
• One NCAA Men's College World Series
• 25 conference championships
• One Football bowl
As a member of the Missouri Valley Conference from 1950 to 1960, the Cougars broke through on the national stage with the program's first national championships.
During its Missouri Valley Conference tenure, Houston won 25 conference titles. In their last year in the league, the Cougars won five titles (Football, Baseball, Men's Golf, Men's Outdoor Track and Field and Men's Tennis) to set a school single-season record that was not equaled until 1983-84.
Men's Golf legendary Head Coach Dave Williams led the Cougars to the program's first NCAA team national championship in 1956 and then proceeded to capture the next four title as well.
Men's Tennis finished with eight titles during its time to lead all Houston sport programs during its Missouri Valley Conference membership while Men's Golf totaled five championships.
Baseball earned its first trip to the Men's College World Series in 1953.
Men's Golfer Rex Baxter earned the first NCAA individual national championship in school history in 1957 and was followed by Phil Rodgers (1958) and Richard Crawford (the only two-time Men's Golf national champion in program history).
John Macy (steeplechase) and Jack Smyth (triple jump) began Men's Track and Field's impressive history with national titles in 1959 while Al Lawrence captured the championship in 5,000-meter race in 1960.
After their departure from the Lone Star Conference, the Cougars spent one season as a member of the Gulf Coast Conference in 1949-50.
That year, Houston earned three league titles with Men's Basketball in the winter and Baseball and Men's Tennis in the spring.
• 5 conference championships
When the University of Houston began intercollegiate competition, the Cougars started in the Lone Star Conference during the 1945-46 season. That year, Men's Basketball captured the first league crown in school history, posting a 10-4 overall record with an 8-2 league mark.
Men's Basketball defended its title in 1946-47 while the Men's Tennis started a streak of three straight conference championships that season.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougars on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at HoustonAthletics or on the team's Instagram page at houstoncougars.
Houston fans will be energized as the Cougars return to old rivalries against Baylor, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and Texas and Oklahoma (if only for a year before the latter two depart from the league), continue recent rivalries from the American Athletic Conference vs. Cincinnati and UCF and restart younger ones against BYU, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and West Virginia.The Big 12 will be the seventh league in which the University of Houston will compete in intercollegiate athletics. Men's Basketball is the only Houston Athletics sports program to win a conference championship in every league in which the Cougars have competed.
Football, Volleyball, Baseball, Men's Tennis and Men's Golf captured trophies from four different leagues while Men's and Women's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field each earned hardware from three different conferences.
As we move closer to Houston Athletics' transition into the Big 12, we look back at the proud conference history of Houston Athletics.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (2013-23)
• Two Olympic medals• Five NCAA individual and relay national championships
• One NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four
• 39 conference championships
• Nine Football bowl games
Despite only 10 years in the American Athletic Conference, Houston enjoyed a prolonged stretch of excellence during its time in the league.
The Cougars' 39 team conference championships were the second most in any league in school history. In addition, Houston recorded at least four conference titles in each of its final eight seasons in The American, a streak unmatched in UH history.
Swimming & Diving led the way by winning each of the last seven championships under Head Coaches Ryan Wochomurka and Tanica Jamison while Men's Basketball finished with six regular-season and tournament crowns under Head Coach Kelvin Sampson. Todd Whitting's Baseball squad recorded five conference championships, including a sweep of the 2017 American regular-season and tournament titles.
Indoor sprinter Elijah Hall won a pair of NCAA individual national championships (60-meter; 200-meter) in 2018 while Cameron Burrell captured the 100-meter title at the Outdoor Championships that season. Kahmari Montgomery won the 2019 title in the 400-meter competition of the outdoor season.
Houston Track and Field also collected a pair of Outdoor relay national titles during its time in The American.
CONFERENCE USA (1996-2013)
• 13 Olympic medals | 7 Gold• 11 NCAA individual national championships
• 59 conference championships
• Eight Football bowl games
From 1996 to 2013, Houston collected 59 conference championships, the most in any league.
In only their second year in the league, the Cougars won seven championships (Volleyball Tournament, Men's Indoor Track and Field, Men's Golf, Tennis, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field and Women's Indoor Track and Field). Two years later, Houston equaled that total in Baseball regular season and tournament, Volleyball, Men's Golf, Men's Indoor Track and Field and Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field.
Under legendary Head Coaches Tom Tellez and Leroy Burrell, Men's and Women's Track and Field led the Cougars for the Cougars as a Conference USA member, collecting 22 Men's Indoor and Outdoor titles and earning 11 Women's Indoor and Outdoor crowns.
Diver Yulia Pakhalina won five NCAA individual national championships and joined fellow diver Anastasia Pozdniakova and Jenny Adams (Women's Track and Field) as the winner of multiple championships during their careers.
Baseball utility star Brad Lincoln was named the 2006 National Player of the Year by multiple organizations and received the Dick Howser Trophy.
Pakhalina also was a leader for the Cougars in international competition, winning five Olympic medals, including one gold.
SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE (1973-1996)
• 21 Olympics medals | 11 Gold• 4 NCAA team national championships | 38 NCAA individual and relay national championships
• Three NCAA Men's Basketball Final Fours
• 37 conference championships
• Seven Football bowl games
Houston enjoyed its longest conference membership with the Southwest Conference from 1973 to 1996, compiling some of the most memorable moments in school history.
The Cougars tied their school single-season record with five conference titles in 1983-84 (Men's Basketball regular season, Men's Basketball tournament, Men's Golf, Women's Indoor Track and Field, Women's Outdoor Track and Field) as well as the Men's Golf NCAA team national championship.
Quarterback Andre Ware received college football's highest honor when he received the 1989 Heisman Trophy. Volleyball outside hitter and Hall of Famer Flo Hyman was recognized as the 1976 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women National Player of the Year.
Legendary athlete and current Track and Field Head Coach Carl Lewis led all Cougars with six NCAA individual national championships in Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, a school record that continues to stand today.
Swimmer Diane Johannigman won four NCAA individual national titles in the butterfly while Carol Lewis earned four NCAA national championships in Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field.
Men's Golf collected nine conference championships to go with four NCAA team national championships to lead all Cougar sport programs during their time in the Southwest Conference.
Men's Basketball advanced to three straight NCAA Final Fours (1982, 1983, 1984) with National Championship Game appearances in the final two years under Hall of Fame Head Coach Guy V. Lewis. The Cougars also enjoyed eight SWC regular-season and tournament titles.
Under Hall of Fame Head Coach Bill Yeoman, Football won four SWC regular-season titles, including the 1976 championship during its first year as a league member.
On the international stage, the Cougars earned 18 Olympic medals with Lewis winning a combined 10 medals – including nine gold – at the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games.
INDEPENDENT (1960-73)
• Three Olympics medals | 2 Gold• Eight NCAA team national championships | Five NCAA individual national championships
• Two NCAA Men's Basketball Final Fours
• One NCAA Men's College World Series
• Four Football bowl games
Following the 1959-60 season, Houston left the Missouri Valley Conference and competed as an independent for the next 13 seasons.
Despite the lack of a conference affiliation, the Cougars continued to win at the highest levels. Under the leadership of Hall of Fame Coach Johnny Morriss, Men's Cross Country won its lone NCAA team national championship in 1960.
Men's Golf continued to reign as the nation's best with NCAA team national championships in 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969 and 1970.
Men's Basketball advanced to its first two NCAA Final Fours in 1967 and 1968 with Hall of Fame forward Elvin Hayes being recognized as the Consensus National Player of the Year in 1968. Baseball returned to the NCAA Men's College World Series in 1967.
On the individual side, Kermit Zarley (1962), Marty Fleckman (1965) and John Mahaffey (1970) won NCAA national championships while Pat Clohessy won the 3-mile NCAA individual national titles in 1961 and 1962.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE (1950-60)
• Two Olympics medals• Five NCAA team national championships | Seven NCAA team national championships
• One NCAA Men's College World Series
• 25 conference championships
• One Football bowl
As a member of the Missouri Valley Conference from 1950 to 1960, the Cougars broke through on the national stage with the program's first national championships.
During its Missouri Valley Conference tenure, Houston won 25 conference titles. In their last year in the league, the Cougars won five titles (Football, Baseball, Men's Golf, Men's Outdoor Track and Field and Men's Tennis) to set a school single-season record that was not equaled until 1983-84.
Men's Golf legendary Head Coach Dave Williams led the Cougars to the program's first NCAA team national championship in 1956 and then proceeded to capture the next four title as well.
Men's Tennis finished with eight titles during its time to lead all Houston sport programs during its Missouri Valley Conference membership while Men's Golf totaled five championships.
Baseball earned its first trip to the Men's College World Series in 1953.
Men's Golfer Rex Baxter earned the first NCAA individual national championship in school history in 1957 and was followed by Phil Rodgers (1958) and Richard Crawford (the only two-time Men's Golf national champion in program history).
John Macy (steeplechase) and Jack Smyth (triple jump) began Men's Track and Field's impressive history with national titles in 1959 while Al Lawrence captured the championship in 5,000-meter race in 1960.
GULF COAST CONFERENCE (1949-50)
• 3 conference championshipsAfter their departure from the Lone Star Conference, the Cougars spent one season as a member of the Gulf Coast Conference in 1949-50.
That year, Houston earned three league titles with Men's Basketball in the winter and Baseball and Men's Tennis in the spring.
LONE STAR CONFERENCE (1945-49)
• 5 conference championshipsWhen the University of Houston began intercollegiate competition, the Cougars started in the Lone Star Conference during the 1945-46 season. That year, Men's Basketball captured the first league crown in school history, posting a 10-4 overall record with an 8-2 league mark.
Men's Basketball defended its title in 1946-47 while the Men's Tennis started a streak of three straight conference championships that season.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougars on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at HoustonAthletics or on the team's Instagram page at houstoncougars.
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