Truman State University - AthleticsCollege Prowler2.69

Athletics:

C+

(explain this grade)

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Quick Stats

Athletic Division

NCAA Division II

Conference

Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA)

School Colors

Purple and white

School Mascot

Bulldog

Men Playing Varsity Sports

290 - 12 %

Women Playing Varsity Sports

149 - 5 %

College Prowler Take

If you prefer to spend weekends decked out in your school colors, cheering on the University football team to a landslide victory, Truman just isn’t the place. The smaller student body here makes the pickings a little slimmer when it comes to varsity superstars. Truman athletes are undoubtedly dedicated and talented, but school spirit is not as infectious as at the Big 10 or Big 12 schools. And from the looks of the Pershing Arena, school spirit hasn’t managed to take hold of University administrators either—some of the facilities are in sad disrepair. This is even more frustrating for those in the athletic department, considering Truman has ranked in the top 10 for the Division II Director’s Cup in recent years. Education budget cuts are making it difficult for facilities and recruiting efforts to improve.

The women’s volleyball and swim teams have ranked in the top 3 nationally for the last several years, and the natatorium sees a bigger crowd during swim meets than Stokes Stadium ever will. Intramural sports garner the most spectators, and during soccer matches between frats, cheers and shouts can be heard from across campus. Intramurals provide a competitive outlet for beginners as well as recent varsity high schoolers, and with everything from basketball to badminton, nearly everyone on campus participates in IMs by graduation.

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sam2555 says:

Truman State University 2012

Other

This Is Not the Big 12

C+

It should be obvious when you go to a school like Truman, that sports are not a top priority. ...Unless of course you're into swimming or volleyball...Truman is nationally ranked in those sports. On the plus side, sporting events are FREE for Truman students! Varsity sports aside, IMs are pretty active, many of the greeks and student orgs have teams...things can get pretty competitive.

Athletics: November 18, 2009
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Anonymous says:

I don’t think varsity sports are...

I don’t think varsity sports are very big. Personally, I have no idea how most of our teams are doing, and most of my friends are the same way. Intramurals, on the other hand, get lots of people and organizations involved.

Athletics
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Anonymous says:

Well, the sports that get the most...

Well, the sports that get the most attention and largest crowds are bad, and the good teams don’t really gather crowds. Intramural sports are semi-big.

Athletics
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Anonymous says:

I’m not that into varsity sports,...

I’m not that into varsity sports, but we have some teams with really amazing records. I really enjoy IM sports. They get a little aggravating because there are a lot of forfeited games in the open division, and depending on the sport, there aren’t always a lot of teams in the open division, but they’re still a ton of fun. There is a lot of variety in the sports they offer.

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Anonymous says:

Varsity sports are not big at all...

Varsity sports are not big at all here, at least with the people I know. Truman is not too good at most of our sports, and there is very little school spirit. However, IM sports are big, and people really like them. It gets pretty crazy at the rec during the volleyball championships.

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Facts

Men's Varsity Sports

  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cross country
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Soccer
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Track and field
  • Wrestling

Women's Varsity Sports

  • Basketball
  • Cross country
  • Golf
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Track and field
  • Volleyball

Intramurals

  • Badminton
  • Basketball
  • Bench press
  • Billiards
  • Blongoball
  • Bocce ball
  • Closest to the pin
  • Cranium
  • Croquet
  • Darts
  • Fantasy football
  • Flag football
  • Free throws
  • Frisbee golf
  • Home run derby
  • Hot shots
  • Kickball
  • March Madness pick 'em
  • MLB playoff pick 'em
  • NCAA-NFL pigskin picks
  • Pickleball
  • Pitch
  • Punt, pass, and kick
  • Racquetball (singles, doubles)
  • Soccer (indoor, outdoor)
  • Softball
  • Sports trivia
  • Super Bowl pick 'em
  • Swim meet
  • Table tennis
  • Taboo
  • Tennis (singles, doubles)
  • Texas Hold'em
  • Track meet
  • T-shirt design contest
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  • Volleyball (court, sand)

Club Sports

  • Basketball (women's)
  • Equestrian team
  • Illusions Danz team (hip-hop dance)
  • Lacrosse (women's)
  • Outdoors club
  • Roadrunners club
  • Rock climbing
  • Roller hockey
  • Rugby
  • Showgirls dance team
  • Soccer
  • Swing dance
  • Tae kwon do
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  • Volleyball
  • Weightlifting

Athletic Fields

  • Pershing Arena
  • Student Recreation Center

School Spirit

Both the Truman and Kirksville communities participated in the search for a new name for the University in the 1990s, and Harry S. Truman’s namesake was chosen because of his unprecedented support of public funding of education and establishing the first National Committee on Higher Education. The school became Truman State University on July 1, 1996.

The Student Union Building is the only union building in Missouri to be built using student funds.

Getting Tickets

Tickets are free to students. Non-students can purchase tickets through gobulldogs.truman.edu.

Most Popular Sports

For varsity, the women’s volleyball team and both swim teams attract massive crowds. Soccer maintains a close following as well. Intramurals are very popular; volleyball and soccer are particularly widespread.

Most Overlooked Teams

The roller hockey team always ends up in championship-worthy good standing, but few people outside of the St. Louis hockey crowd follow it. The equestrian team is also competitive.

Best Place to Take a Walk

Kenneth Track, to the square in Kirksville, in the Sunken Garden

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