College Sports Established
1940
Location
Ruston, Louisiana
College Name
Louisiana Tech University
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1972 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
Conference History
2013 - Present / Conference USA
2002 - 2013 / Western Athletic Conference
1992 - 2001 / Sun Belt Conference
1988 - 1991 / American South Conference
1972 - 1987 / Southland Conference
Nickname
Bulldogs - As a fan of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, you may have wondered why that name calls them. While it is widely known that the school mascot is a bulldog, many don’t know how this nickname came to be.
The origins of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs can be traced back to 1901, when their football team was first formed. At this time, no official mascots or nicknames were associated with any teams in college sports, so local fans began referring to them as “the Bull Dogs” due to their tenacious and spirited play on the field. This eventually evolved into just “Bulldogs,” which has been used ever since then as an unofficial nickname for all athletic teams at Louisiana Tech University (LTU).
The official adoption of "Bulldogs" didn't happen until 1932 when LTU officially changed its name from Industrial Institute & College (IIC) and adopted "Louisiana Polytechnic Institute" (LPI). As part of this transition, LPI also decided on an official mascot - none other than our beloved bulldog! Since then, all athletics programs at LTU have proudly worn red and blue uniforms adorned with images/logos representing our four-legged friend – further cementing him in history as one-half of what makes up today's iconic logo: The Bulldog Head!
So next time you cheer on your favorite team during game day or wear some gear sporting those classic colors - remember where it all started: With loyal fans who recognized something special about these athletes in 1901 and dubbed them ‘The Bull Dogs.' Go Dawgs!!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1901
- 1926
- 2001
- 2006
- 2016
- 2021
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Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team is founded
In 1901: The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team is founded. The team plays its first game on November 30, 1901, against the Ruston YMCA. -
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs men’s basketball team is founded
In 1926: The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs men’s basketball team is founded. The team plays its first game on January 8, 1926, against Centenary College. -
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team wins the Western Athletic Conference championship
In 2001: The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team wins the Western Athletic Conference championship, earning a spot in the Humanitarian Bowl, which they win over Clemson University. -
Paul Millsap
Paul Millsap is a former basketball player who played for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs from 2003 to 2006. During his time at Louisiana Tech, Millsap established himself as one of the top players in the nation, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the Bulldogs men’s basketball program. As a freshman in 2003-2004, ... -
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs men’s basketball team wins the Conference USA championship
In 2016: The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs men’s basketball team wins the Conference USA championship, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. -
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs baseball team wins the Conference USA championship
In 2021: The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs baseball team wins the Conference USA championship, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in program history.
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Bulldogs
Since becoming an official member of Division I athletics in 1975, Louisiana Tech has competed at both conference and national levels across several sports, including football, basketball, baseball/softball, tennis, and golf. The Bulldogs have had tremendous success over this period; they are two-time NCAA Football Champions (1984 & 1988), four-time WAC Basketball Tournament Champions (1981–82 through 1984–85), and five-time WAC Baseball Regular Season Champions (1976 through 1980).
In more recent times, however, it is perhaps best known for its men’s basketball program, which consistently ranks among some of the nation’s top teams year after year. Under head coach Mike White since the 2011/12 season, they had achieved remarkable feats, such as reaching three consecutive Conference USA tournament finals from 2014–16 before eventually winning it all during the 2016/17 season when they secured an automatic bid into that year's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament by defeating Marshall University 68 - 66 on March 12th, 2017!
In addition to these successes, there are also numerous individual accolades that many former players can boast about, such as Karl Malone, who was named NBA MVP twice during his career with Utah Jazz or Paul Millsap, who won 4x NBA All-Star awards while playing for Atlanta Hawks to name few examples here!
For any true fan out there looking for something special then look no further than supporting your very own LA TECH BULLDOGS – you won't regret it!
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