- 1972
- 1988
- 1991
- 1994
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Golden Eagles Name Selection
The school’s earliest nickname was Tigers. Thereafter came such nicknames as Normalites (from Mississippi Normal College, the early name of the university), Yellow Jackets, Confederates, and Southerners. Golden Eagles was selected in a student/alumni vote in the early 1972. Seymour d’Campus is the name of the modern-day mascot eagle. -
Coach Curley Hallman
Curley Hallman came to Southern Miss from his post as defensive backs coach at Texas A&M. Hallman’s .676 winning percentage at USM is the highest of any coach in Southern Miss football history. Hallman coached future NFL star quarterback Brett Favre during his tenure at USM. Hallman’s record at Southern Miss is 23–11 in three seasons. Hallman departed after the ... -
NCAA Tournament Scoring record
Southern Miss Golden Eagles have appeared in three NCAA tournaments. They have an overall 0–3 record in tournament games. Darrin Chancellor holds the Southern Miss single-tournament scoring record with 24 points in 1991. -
Southern Miss Lady Eagles basketball
The Lady Eagles also have a storied history. With 10 postseason appearances, the women’s program is the most proficient at Southern Miss. In those 10 appearances, they have made the NCAA Tournament 8 times advancing to the Sweet 16 in 1994. The team has had two All-Americans including Janice Felder in 1994.
History of the Golden Eagles
The Southern Miss Golden Eagles have a long and proud history of success on the NCAA sports stage. With over 30 National Championships, dozens of Conference Titles, and numerous individual accolades, this powerhouse program has repeatedly proven that it is among the top teams in college athletics.
Established in 1912 as Mississippi Normal College (MNC), Southern Miss was one of the first universities south of the Mason-Dixon Line to offer intercollegiate athletics programs for both men’s and women’s teams. The school became known as The University Of Southern Mississippi (USM) when it achieved university status in 1950 – though its athletic program had been competing since 1920 under various nicknames such as “Normalites” or “Teachers." In 1972 USM officially adopted its current nickname: "Golden Eagles" – a nod to their legendary mascot Scrappy Moore who served from 1922 until his retirement in 1975 after 53 years!
Over those decades, USM's athletes have consistently made an impact on collegiate sports with impressive accomplishments across all levels, including Division I Football Bowl Subdivision titles, multiple appearances at Women's Basketball Elite Eight tournaments, two Final Four appearances by Men's Basketball team; plus Gold Medals won by members at Olympics Games held around the world. Furthermore, many former players - such as Brett Favre - became professional superstars!
Today fans can follow every game played by these talented student-athletes through live streaming services like ESPN+ or Fox Sports Go app, allowing them to watch anywhere, anytime, without missing single play action! Whether you're cheering track & field events during the spring season or football games during the fall semester, there is always something exciting happening on campus, so don't forget to show your support next time Golden Eagles take the court/field near you!!
College Sports Established
1910
Location
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
College Name
University of Southern Mississippi
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division I
1921 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
1922 - 1921 / Athletic Association of the United States
Conference History
2022 - Present / Sun Belt Conference
1995 - 2022 / C-USA Conference
1948 - 1952 / Gulf States Conference
1928 - 1941 / Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1912 - 1928, 1942 - 1947, 1952 - 1995 / Independent
Nickname
Golden Eagles - The Southern Miss Golden Eagles are one of the most recognizable NCAA teams in the country. Their nickname had existed since 1927 when they were first established as a college football team. But where did this iconic moniker come from?
The origin story begins with former head coach Ralph “Pop” Southerland, who was instrumental in bringing success to the program during its early years. He wanted his players to be seen as courageous on the field, so he chose an eagle as their mascot – a symbol of strength and power that dates back centuries.
To further emphasize these qualities, Pop added “Golden” to signify excellence and victory over all opponents – thus creating what we now know today as The Southern Miss Golden Eagles!
As part of their tradition-filled history, fans have become accustomed to seeing golden Eagles soar through each home game at M.M Roberts Stadium while cheering on their beloved team every step of the way! From tailgates before kickoff until after the final whistle blows - you can always count on diehard supporters showing up for some good ol' fashioned southern hospitality - no matter how big or small wins may be along the season's path!
Whether it's celebrating championships or just enjoying Saturday games under the sunniest skies imaginable, nothing quite compares the experience of cheering your favorite squad to being surrounded by fellow passionate fans - all rooting for the exact cause: To show the world why our love affair with sports never fades away here South Mississippi... Goooooooo, GOLDEN EAGLES!!!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
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.