A Brief History of the IUPUI Men's Basketball Program
1969 Nick Kellum, hired as Director of Intramural Sports and Coordinator of Sports Club, set up an intramural league in men's basketball. 1971 The IUPUI Faculty Council
approved a recommendation that IUPUI create an intercollegiate athletics
program and join the NCAA as soon as possible. |
| 1972 IUPUI fielded its first varsity team. The players adopted the nickname "Metros" to reflect the school's urban setting and selected red and gold as the school colors. George Dickison, athletic director from Crispus Attucks High School, served as the head coach. The team finished with a record of one win and six loses. Dickison coached the team through the 1974-1975 season. |
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| 1973 IUPUI became an associate
(nonvoting) member of the NCAA.
1975 J. Kirby Overman was hired as the new coach of the men's basketball team. He coached the team through the 1978-1979 season. |
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| 1978 IUPUI joined the National
Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
1979 Mel Garland became head coach of the Metros. In his second season (1980-1981) the team compiled a 14-12 record, its first winning season. Garland resigned during the 1981-1982 season due to health problems, and School of Physical Education assistant professor Ed Schilling stepped in for the remainder of the season. Garland recommended that Robert Lovell serve as interim head coach. |
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| 1982 Robert Lovell served as interim
head coach during the 1982-1983 season. The team had its second winning
season, compiling a 14-13 record. Lovell was named head coach in 1983 and
led the Metros through the 1993-1994 season
1985 IUPUI qualified for the NAIA national tournament for the first time. 1990 IUPUI made the NAIA national tournament for the second time, reaching the Sweet Sixteen. 1993 IUPUI moved from the NAIA to membership in Division II of the NCAA. |
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1994 Ron Hunter was appointed head coach. |
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 Basketball & Books, February 2003 |
1996 Carlos Knox was named the NCAA
Division II Player of the Year.
1997 IUPUI moved up to NCAA Division I and joined the Mid-Continent Conference. 1998 The team nickname was changed to the Jaguars, and black and white were added to red and gold as team colors. 2003 IUPUI won the Mid-Continent Conference basketball tournament, earning its first trip to the NCAA Division I tournament. |
Photos provided by Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives at The IUPUI University Library.
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Updated: 1 April 2004, RKB Comments: speccoll@iupui.edu URL: http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/special/digproj/jagshistory.html Copyright © 2004 - The Trustees of Indiana University |
Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives IUPUI University Library 755 W. Michigan St. Indianapolis, IN 46202 (317) 274-0464 |
