Humboldt State Lumberjacks
The Humboldt State Lumberjacks are the 12 varsity athletic teams that represent Humboldt State University, located in Arcata, California, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Lumberjacks compete as an associate member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association for all sports except women's rowing, which competes in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
Humboldt State Lumberjacks | |
---|---|
University | Humboldt State University |
Conference | California Collegiate Athletic Association |
NCAA | Division II |
Athletic director | Jane Teixeira |
Location | Arcata, California |
Varsity teams | 12 |
Football stadium | Redwood Bowl |
Basketball arena | Lumberjack Arena |
Nickname | Lumberjacks |
Colors | Green and Gold[1] |
Website | hsulumberjacks |
Varsity sports
Men's sports | Women's sports |
---|---|
Basketball | Basketball |
Cross country | Cross country |
Rowing | |
Soccer | Soccer |
Softball | |
Track and field† | Track and field† |
Volleyball | |
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor. |
Basketball
Recently the men's basketball team achieved its first-ever West Region title and advancement to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II for the first time in the program's 81-year history.
The men's head coach is Tae Norwood, and the women's head coach is Michelle Bento-Jackson.
Softball
HSU's softball team has qualified for the NCAA post-season 18 times between 1990 and 2008, capturing the national championship in 1999 and in 2008.
Rowing
The women's rowing team claimed the NCAA Division II national rowing championship title in 2012 and 2014. In 2012 they took first in both the varsity 8 and varsity 4 boats. In 2014 the varsity 8 was first, and the varsity 4 took third.[2] In 2011 the team finished third overall at the national championships, placing second in the varsity 4 and third in the varsity 8.[3] The women's rowing program advanced both its varsity 4 and varsity 8 boats to the NCAA Championships in 2004, with the varsity 4 earning the individual boat national title and the varsity 8 placing second at nationals. Women's rowing became an intercollegiate sport at Humboldt State in 1994.[4]
1994 Club Sport Emerges as an NCAA Division II Intercollegiate Team
2003 NCAA Division II National Championships ~ Finalist
2004 Division II National Championships ~ Finalist / National Champions 4+
2010 WIRA Team Champions
2011 NCAA Division II National Championships ~ Finalist
2012 NCAA Division II National Champions
2014 NCAA Division II National Champions
2015 NCAA Division II National Championships ~ Finalist
2017 WIRA Team Champions
2018 WIRA Team Champions
2019 WIRA Team Champions
Track and field
The Lumberjacks have produced national champions and All-Americans in cross country and track and field. In 1980, the school's first year in Division II, the HSU men's cross country team claimed a national title. A year later, cross country runner Mark Conover earned the individual crown and later represented the US as a marathoner in the 1988 Summer Olympic Games.[5] The women's track and field team, led by future 1928 Olympic sprinter, Elta Cartwright, won the 1926 national championship meet conducted in telegraphic form by the Women's National Collegiate and Scholastic Track Association.[6]
Football
Humboldt State won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in 2011 and 2015. The championship in 2015 led them to the Division II playoffs, during which they made it to the second round before losing to eventual champion Northwest Missouri State. The Lumberjacks play their home games in the Redwood Bowl. Their biggest rivals in football are Western Oregon and Azusa Pacific.
Head coach
Humboldt State has been coached by Rob Smith since the 2008 season. Coach Smith has accumulated 55 wins as the head coach of the Lumberjacks.
2015 season
The 2015 season was one of the most successful in Humboldt State history. The Lumberjacks won 10 games, 9 in the regular season, en route to a perfect 6-0 GNAC record, and the conference championship. For the first time in school history, HSU hosted an NCAA Division II home playoff game, played against Augustana University. The Lumberjacks defeated Augustana by a score of 45-31 to secure the first DII playoff victory since 1960. They lost their second round matchup with top seed and eventual champion Northwest Missouri State 54-7.
The season saw individual success as well, as running back Ja'Quan Gardner was named an All-American and finished as the runner-up in the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II version of the Heisman Trophy. Gardner rushed for 2,266 yards on 337 carries, both GNAC records. Gardner also led the country in rushing yards per game (188.8) and rushing touchdowns (25). Gardner won the GNAC Offensive Player of the Year award, and set a school record for single-game rushing yards by running for 305 yards against Azusa Pacific. Offensive Lineman Alex Cappa was named the conference Offensive Lineman of the Year award for the second straight season, and was a second-team All-American.
Conferences
- 1924–1939: Independent
- 1940–1996: Northern California Athletic Conference
- 1997: Division II Independent
- 1998–2000: Columbia Football Association
- 2001–2005: Great Northwest Athletic Conference
- 2006–2007: Division II Independent
- 2008–present: Great Northwest Athletic Conference
Discontinuation of football program
In July 2018, the university announced that the football program would be discontinued after the 2018 season.[7]
Championships
NCAA appearances
The Humboldt State Lumberjacks competed in the NCAA Tournament across 12 active sports (5 men's and 7 women's), 113 times at the Division II level.[8]
Team
NCAA
The Lumberjacks of Humboldt State earned 5 NCAA team championships at the Division II level.[9]
- Men's (1)
- Cross country (1): 1980
- Women's (4)
Results
School year | Sport | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|
1980–81 | Men's cross country | UNC Pembroke | 115–120 |
1998–99 | Softball | Nebraska–Kearney | 7–2 |
2007–08 | Softball | Emporia State | 1–0 |
2011–12 | Rowing | Western Washington | 20–13 |
2013–14 | Rowing | Nova Southeastern | 16–15 |
Other national
- Women's Track & Field (1): 1926,[6] at the highest level
Below is one national club team championship:
- Women's disc golf (1): 2014 (NCDGU)
Individual
Humboldt State had 18 Lumberjacks win NCAA individual championships at the Division II level.[9]
NCAA individual championships | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Order | School year | Athlete(s) | Sport | Source |
1 | 1967–68 | Gary Tuttle | Men's outdoor track and field | [10] |
2 | 1968–69 | Bill Scobey | Men's outdoor track and field | [10] |
3 | 1968–69 | Gary Tuttle | Men's outdoor track and field | [10] |
4 | 1971–72 | Mike Bettiga | Men's outdoor track and field | [10] |
5 | 1972–73 | Chuck Smead | Men's outdoor track and field | [10] |
6 | 1973–74 | Frank Logan | Men's swimming and diving | [11] |
7 | 1973–74 | Chuck Smead | Men's outdoor track and field | [10] |
8 | 1980–81 | Mark Conover | Men's outdoor track and field | [10] |
9 | 1981–82 | Mark Conover | Men's cross country | [12] |
10 | 1981–82 | Dan Grimes | Men's outdoor track and field | [10] |
11 | 1984–85 | Eric Lessley | Wreslting | [13] |
12 | 1990–91 | Luke Parham | Wrestling | [13] |
13 | 1998–99 | Trinity Davis | Women's indoor track and field | [14] |
14 | 2003–04 | Jolie Smith Winnie Bell Jessica Lev Lisa McDonnell Melanie Rowsey | Rowing | [15] |
15 | 2011–12 | Kaitlyn Shanle Amanda Nelson Shenae Bishop Julia Smith Ka'ena Sado | Rowing | [15] |
16 | 2011–12 | Katie Lepley Molly Fisher Anna Wagner Alex Torquemada Ashley Frakes Edi Sullivan Jacki McPherson Chyna Balonick Katie Harris | Rowing | [15] |
17 | 2013–14 | Jamie Larrabee Ripley McChesney Maggie Wilhelm Kayley Weber Maddy Guillaume Samantha Morford Katie Dedrick Mariah Smihter Katrina Rehrer | Rowing | [15] |
18 | 2016–17 | Marissa McCay | Women's outdoor track and field | [16] |
References
- "Visual Identity | HSU Brand". Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- "HSU Rowing Claims Second NCAA DII National Title". Humboldt State University Athletics. Retrieved Dec 31, 2019.
- "Rowers finish third at national championships". Humboldt State University Athletics. Retrieved Dec 31, 2019.
- "Humboldt Magazine | Rowing Team Stays Focused, Wins First-Ever National Title". magazine.humboldt.edu. Retrieved Dec 31, 2019.
- Dan Pambianco, Humboldt State Intercollegiate Athletics, Assistant AD/Media Relations
- Tricard, Louise Mead (1996). American Women's Track and Field – A History, 1895 through 1980. Jefferson, North Carolina, U.S.: McFarland & Co., Inc. p. 58.
- "University Announces Football Decision". July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
- "NCAA Championships Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
- "Championships Summary" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
- "Division II Men's Outdoor Track Championships Records Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- "Division II Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Records Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- "Division II Men's Cross Country Championships Records Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- "Division II Wrestling Championships Records Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- "Division II Women's Indoor Track Championships Records Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- "Division II Rowing Championships Records Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- "Division II Women's Outdoor Track Championships Records Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 28 May 2018.