The McKendree Bearcats are the intercollegiate athletic programs that represent McKendree University, located in Lebanon, Illinois, United States, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) as a provisional member since the 2012–13 academic year (achieving D-II full member status in 2013–14).

McKendree Bearcats
Logo
UniversityMcKendree University
ConferenceGLVC (primary)
MIVA (men's volleyball through 2024–25)
WWPA (men's and women's water polo)
NCAADivision II
LocationLebanon, Illinois
Varsity teams39 (18 men's and 18 women's and 3 co-ed)
Football stadiumLeemon Field
Basketball arenaMelvin Price Convocation Center
Baseball stadiumHypes Field
MascotBogie
NicknameBearcats
ColorsPurple and white[1]
   
Websitemckbearcats.com

Prior to joining the NCAA, the Bearcats previously competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as members of the American Midwest Conference (with the exception of football where they played in the Midwest League of the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) from 1987–88 to 2010–11, as well as an NAIA/NCAA Division II Independent during the 2011–12 school year. They also competed in the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) from 1912–13 to 1937–38.

Varsity teams

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McKendree competes in 39 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, powerlifting, rugby, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, water polo and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, cross country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, powerlifting, rugby, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, water polo and wrestling; and co-ed sports include bass fishing, cheerleading and dance.

Men's sports Women's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Beach Volleyball
Bowling Bowling
Cross country Cross country
Football Golf
Golf Ice Hockey (ACHA DI)
Ice Hockey (ACHA DI) Lacrosse
Powerlifting Powerlifting
Rugby Rugby
Soccer Soccer
Swimming and Diving Softball
Tennis Swimming and Diving
Track and Field Tennis
Volleyball Track and Field
Water Polo Volleyball
Wrestling Water Polo
Wrestling
Co-ed sports
Bass Fishing Cheerleading
Dance
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

Men's basketball

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McKendree's men's former basketball coach, Harry Statham, at one point held the all-time record for wins at a four-year institution. On February 16, 2019, this record was broken by Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Statham's 1,122 wins during his 52 seasons at McKendree were previously unmatched by any other basketball coach at a four-year college or university in the United States. [2]

Bowling

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The McKendree University bowling team is headed by Shannon and Bryan O'Keefe. Shannon played softball up through high school and won the All-American award as a center fielder. She went to Portland State University and began to input herself in the amateur status. Bryan went to University of Nebraska and took many coaching classes. Shannon has been on bowling's Team USA for 15 years, and has won over 20 professional titles, including 14 on the PWBA Tour. Bryan was never much of a professional bowler, however was very passionate about coaching, and because of that landed himself a place in the Bowling Hall of Fame as one of the top coaches of the decade. Since their placement at McKendree University the bowling teams, together, have increased their overall average by 12 pins. They came to McKendree in the 2014–2015 school year to coach the men and women's programs. Under their supervision the men and women both went to the National Collegiate Bowling Competition. The women placed fifth and the men placed sixth. The 2016 men's team won the USBC national championship while the women's team won the 2017 NCAA National Championship, sweeping perennial powerhouse Nebraska 4–0 on April 15, 2017. A month later, the women's team also won the 2017 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, completing a sweep of the two major college competitions.[3] On April 16, 2022, the women's team won its second national championship, sweeping Stephen F. Austin 4–0 in the 2022 NCAA Bowling Championships.[4]

National championships

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Team

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Sport Association Division Year Opponent/Runner-up Score
Men's indoor track and field (1) NAIA Single[5] 2001 Azusa Pacific 59–48.5
Women's indoor track and field (4) NAIA Single[6] 1999 Mary (ND) 96–64
2000 Life 125–113
2001 Life 66–64
2002 Azusa Pacific 77–75
Women's outdoor track and field (1) NAIA Single[7] 1999 Life 127–72 (+55)

References

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  1. ^ "McKendree University Athletics Sports Information". Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  2. ^ NCAA, NCAA (2018-03-07). "McKendree's head coach Harry Statham to depart after becoming winningest active NCAA basketball coach". NCAA.com. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  3. ^ Smith, Aaron (2017-05-15). "MCKENDREE WOMEN WIN FIRST INTERCOLLEGIATE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLE". bowl.com. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
  4. ^ "Women's Bowling Sweeps Stephen F. Austin, Claims 2022 NCAA National Championship". McKendree University Athletics. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  5. ^ "NAIA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). Men’s Championship History. NAIA. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  6. ^ "NAIA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). NAIA. NAIA.org. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  7. ^ "NAIA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). NAIA Sports Information Directors Manual. NAIA. Retrieved 26 May 2022.