The Tradition of UNK Athletics
Traditions play a great role in campus life. They reflect the spirit, values and dreams of the people who make up an institution. The University of Nebraska at Kearney, being a relatively young university, celebrates a growing number of traditions.
“Tradition of Excellence”
Get familiar with some of the traditions that help give UNK Athletics its distinctive flavor: Success in Athletics, Louie the Loper, The Loper Legion, Loper Luncheon, Loper Zone, Loper Alley, We are the Blue, The Rivalry (hyperlink all of them to the respective paragraph below)
‘Success in Athletics’
Since the move to the NCAA’s Division II tier in 1991, the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) has had a successful winning tradition alive and well at the NCAA level. To start, UNK’s wrestling team won the first ever NCAA Division II National Championship for UNK in any sport in 2008. Also in Coach Bauer’s 10 years here, UNK has eight RMAC/West Region titles, nine top 10 finishes at the NCAA Championships -- including national runner up finishes in 2003, 2006 and 2007 – amassed an amazing 52 All-Americans and seen an astounding 83 of his wrestlers earn Academic All-American honors. UNK Volleyball also has a very rich tradition in the past decade, led by Coach Rick Squires, which includes 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, three Elite Eight appearances, seven RMAC regular season crowns, four RMAC Tournament titles, and a 180-10 mark in the Health & Sports Center. Coach Rick Squires in his 11th year as Head coach is 321-48 in his UNK tenure, good for a winning percentage of 87 percent. On the Gridiron from 1999 through 2008, the Coach Morris Era, UNK has gone 62-33, including a 52-21 mark in RMAC play (.712 win percentage). Coach Morris also has the third highest winning percentage in Loper lore (65.2), ranks third in wins (62) and has led UNK to two RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) titles and two NCAA Division II playoff berths. Football has had 80 different players earn all-conference honors, in addition to; eight different Lopers have earned All-American status at least one time since 1999. There has also seen 11 players earn Academic All-District honors at least once with two Lopers eventually being named Academic All-American. Morris and his staff have sent four players to the NFL since 1999 with two receiving invites to the NFL Draft combine. Women’s Basketball has gone 154-61 (71.6 winning percentage) in seven years, with Coach Russell at the helm, and she led UNK to two RMAC titles and five NCAA Division II Tournament appearances. In addition, she set a school-record for wins by a first year Loper coach (25) and has reached 20 wins six times. On the Men’s side under the tutelage of Coach Kropp and Coach Lofton since 1996, UNK has gone 324-127 (71.8 win percentage), made 10 NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, three trips to the "Sweet Sixteen" and the Elite Eight in 2003. In Baseball UNK currently has 160 wins under Loper skipper, Coach Damon Day. He has guided UNK to two RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) Tournament titles, two appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, the schools first-ever appearance in the Division II Top 25 poll and the school’s first back-to-back 30 win seasons. Individually, Day has seen 25 different players earn All-RMAC honors the past five years with the Lopers having had the RMAC Player of the Year in 2007 and the RMAC Pitcher of the Year in 2008 and 2009. In softball 24 different players have earned All-RMAC honors under Coach Carnes. In addition, two players earned RMAC Pitcher of the Year honors, another earned RMAC's freshman of the Year, with another earning All-South Central Region honors twice. The 2003 RMAC Coach of the Year has led UNK to a 202-194 record the past eight seasons, including a 141-109 mark in RMAC play. All the other sports combined, Track and Field, Cross Country, Swimming and Diving, Women’s Soccer, Men’s and Women’s Tennis and Golf, have recorded NCAA Champions, All-Americans, and All-Conference athletes.
‘Louie the Loper’
The famed mascot of the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Louie has been around since the beginning. He is always at every UNK Athletic event cheering on the Lopers with the cheerleaders, giving out high-fives, and he’s even been known to take a picture or two with the children who attend the games. Louie is a proud tradition on UNK, and will continue to be the best mascot around.
‘Pride of the Plains Marching Band’
This group is a great supporter of UNK Athletics and is the famed marching band, and wow, they can play! You can typically see them perform on Game-Day of home football games, and sometimes they will show up and cheer on other Loper athletic events such as Volleyball and Basketball.
‘The Loper Legion’
This group is a recent addition and is set to become the big fan base of UNK Athletics. This is a group of dedicated UNK Athletic fans that will show up and cheer on the mighty Lopers in rain or shine, freezing or boiling temperatures, and always does so wearing the blue and gold that runs through their veins. The Legion is a great group and grows in numbers every year.
‘Loper Luncheon’
This is done typically two Thursdays a month, hosted by Runza, and a big hit in the community. Every luncheon, guest speakers are made up of that seasons coaching staff and they do an excellent job keeping everyone posted on up-to-date and inside information going on with their respective teams. This is open to anyone in the community who has $5 and needs the Loper update.
‘Loper Zone’
Much like Loper Luncheon, this is available for all of the students of the University of Nebraska at Kearney in a more convenient place and atmosphere. The panel of speakers includes coaches and athletes alike, as well as members of the Loper Legion, UNK intramurals, and other student groups. This is also a great way to ask questions, and get feedback on all that is happening in the lives of our student-athletes, teams, and groups alike, at UNK.
‘Loper Alley’
This is the official tailgate of the UNK football team. Hosted by the UNK Athletic Department, but attended regularly by families, friends, and fans of the Lopers, this is a great place to enjoy good people, good music, and just a great atmosphere. For those who like to grill their own food, are more than welcome to bring a grill, food, and other hungry people!
‘We are the Blue’
This is something that is seen throughout the not only the Health and Sports Center at UNK, but also on campus, and in the entire community. We are in the process of ‘Painting the Town Blue’ and hope this takes off in the future. We are a college town, and we support out team, the UNK Lopers. Go Lopers!
‘The Rivalry’
There are many rivalries in college athletics these days, and one of the biggest in Division II is the University of Nebraska at Kearney versus the University of Nebraska at Omaha. In Football the teams always play for the Liberty Bell and in Volleyball the teams face off to see who takes home the Mav’a’lope.