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{{short description|US college athletic program}}
{{Infobox college athletics
{{Infobox college athletics
| name = Detroit Mercy Titans
| name = Detroit Mercy Titans
Line 5: Line 6:
| university = University of Detroit Mercy
| university = University of Detroit Mercy
| association = NCAA
| association = NCAA
| conference = [[Horizon League]], [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference|MAAC]], [[Southern Conference|SoCon]]
| conference = [[Horizon League]] (primary)<br>[[ASUN Conference|ASUN]] (men's lacrosse)<br>[[Mid-American Conference|MAC]] (women's lacrosse)
| division = Division I
| division = Division I
| director = Robert Vowels
| director = Robert Vowels
| city = [[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]]
| location = [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]
| state = [[Michigan]]
| teams = 17
| teams = 19
| basketballarena = [[Calihan Hall]]
| basketballarena = [[Calihan Hall]]
| soccerstadium = Titan Field
| soccerstadium = Titan Field
| baseballfield = Buysse Field
| baseballfield = Buysse Ballpark
| mascot = Tommy Titan
| mascot = Tommy Titan
| nickname = Titans
| nickname = Titans
| fightsong =
| fightsong =
| pageurl = http://www.detroittitans.com/
| pageurl = https://detroittitans.com/
| altlogo = [[file:Detroit titans wordmark 2008.png|150px]]
}}
}}


The '''Detroit Mercy Titans''' are the athletic teams of the [[University of Detroit Mercy]] (UDM). The university is a member of the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA) [[NCAA Division I|Division I]]. The school primarily competes in the [[Horizon League]], but competes in the [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference]] for men's lacrosse and the [[Southern Conference]]<ref>http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=1161510&SPID=186908&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211445189&DB_OEM_ID=4000</ref> for women's lacrosse.
The '''Detroit Mercy Titans''' (formerly known as the '''Detroit Titans''') are the athletic teams of [[University of Detroit Mercy]]. The university is a member of the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA) [[NCAA Division I|Division I]]. The school primarily competes in the [[Horizon League]], but competes in other conferences for fencing and lacrosse, sports not sponsored for either men or women by the Horizon League. Fencing, a co-ed sport, competes in the Midwest Fencing Conference. Men's lacrosse moved from the [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference]] to the [[ASUN Conference]] in July 2021.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://asunsports.org/general/2020-21/releases/20210205djyk6a |title=ASUN Conference Announces Formation of Men's Lacrosse League |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=February 5, 2021 |accessdate=February 6, 2021 |archive-date=February 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205181350/https://asunsports.org/general/2020-21/releases/20210205djyk6a |url-status=dead }}</ref> Women's lacrosse joined the [[Mid-American Conference]] for that league's first women's lacrosse season in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=1161510&SPID=186908&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211445189&DB_OEM_ID=4000|title=SoCon to add women's lacrosse as 22nd sport}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url=https://getsomemaction.com/news/2019/11/5/general-womens-lacrosse-coming-in-2020-21-detroit-mercy-youngstown-state-as-affiliates.aspx |title=Women's Lacrosse Coming in 2020-21; Detroit Mercy & Youngstown State As Affiliates |publisher=Mid-American Conference |date=November 6, 2019 |access-date=February 8, 2020}}</ref>


==Teams==
==Teams==
A member of the [[Horizon League]], the University of Detroit Mercy sponsors teams in eight men's, nine women's, and one coed [[NCAA]] sanctioned sports:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.detroittitans.com/ |title=Detroit Mercy Titans |publisher=University of Detroit Mercy |accessdate=27 November 2016 }}</ref> Detroit Mercy is one of the only 4 NCAA Division I schools that don't sponsor volleyball and don't sponsor baseball (The other 3 being [[Boston University Terriers|Boston University]], [[Drexel Dragons|Drexel]], and [[Vermont Catamounts|Vermont]]). Previously the Tigers, in either 1919<ref>{{cite web |title=Titans Host Oakland In #MetroSeries Battle On Red Out Saturday |url=https://detroittitans.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-titans-host-oakland-in-metroseries-battle-on-red-out-saturday.aspx |website=detroittitans.com |publisher=Detroit Titans Athletics |accessdate=September 24, 2018 |date=January 18, 2018 |quote=Until 1919, the U-D teams were known as the Tigers. In the fall of 1919, Detroit Free Press' sportswriter Stan Brink, who was covering football for the paper, thought that a good nickname for the team would be the Titans.}}</ref> or 1924<ref name="NieseDorais2018">{{cite book|author1=Joe Niese|author2=Bob Dorais|title=Gus Dorais: Gridiron Innovator, All-American and Hall of Fame Coach|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9XFuDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA132|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-3409-8|page=132|accessdate=September 23, 2018|quote="In 1924 the Tigers changed their nickname to the more unique 'Titans.'"}}</ref> the school adopted the Titans nickname.
A member of the [[Horizon League]], Detroit Mercy sponsors 17 NCAA varsity teams (seven men's, eight women's, and one co-ed NCAA-sanctioned sports).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.detroittitans.com/ |title=Detroit Mercy Titans |publisher=University of Detroit Mercy |access-date=27 November 2016 }}</ref> Previously the Tigers, in either 1919<ref>{{cite web |title=Titans Host Oakland In #MetroSeries Battle On Red Out Saturday |url=https://detroittitans.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-titans-host-oakland-in-metroseries-battle-on-red-out-saturday.aspx |website=detroittitans.com |publisher=Detroit Titans Athletics |access-date=September 24, 2018 |date=January 18, 2018 |quote=Until 1919, the U-D teams were known as the Tigers. In the fall of 1919, Detroit Free Press' sportswriter Stan Brink, who was covering football for the paper, thought that a good nickname for the team would be the Titans.}}</ref> or 1924<ref name="NieseDorais2018">{{cite book|author1=Joe Niese|author2=Bob Dorais|title=Gus Dorais: Gridiron Innovator, All-American and Hall of Fame Coach|date=10 September 2018|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9XFuDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA132|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-3409-8|page=132|access-date=September 23, 2018|quote="In 1924 the Tigers changed their nickname to the more unique 'Titans.'"}}</ref> the school adopted the Titans nickname.


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width 80%;"
{| class="wikitable" style=" "
|-'s
! Men's sports
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Detroit Mercy Titans|Men's sports|Women's sports}}
! Team article
! Head coach
!
! Women's sports
! Team article
! Head coach
!
! Co-Ed Sports
! Team Article
! Head Coach
|-
|-
| [[College Basketball|Basketball]]
| [[Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball|Basketball]] || [[Detroit Mercy Titans women's basketball|Basketball]]
| [[Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball|Titans men's basketball]]
|[[Mike Davis (basketball coach)|Mike Davis]]
!
| [[College Basketball|Basketball]]
| [[Detroit Mercy Titans women's basketball|Titans women's basketball]]
| Bernard Scott
!
| [[Collegiate fencing|Fencing]] {{refn|group=v|name=Fencing|Fencing in the NCAA is a coed sport with men's and women's squads. The fencing team competes in the Midwest Fencing Conference.}}
|
| Todd Dressell
|-
|-
| [[Cross country running|Cross country]]
| Cross country || Cross country
|
| [[Guy Murray]]
!
| [[Cross country running|Cross country]]
|
| [[Guy Murray]]
!
|
|
|
|-
|-
| [[Golf]]
| Golf || Golf
|
| Luke LaFave
!
| [[Golf]]
|
| Terri Anthony-Ryan
!
|
|
|
|-
|-
|[[Detroit Mercy Titans men's lacrosse|Lacrosse]] || Lacrosse
| [[College lacrosse|Lacrosse]] {{refn|group=v|name=LaxMen|The men's lacrosse team competes as an Associate member of the [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference]].}}
|
| Chris Kolon
!
| [[College lacrosse|Lacrosse]] {{refn|group=v|name=LaxWomen|The women's lacrosse team competes as an Associate member of the [[Southern Conference]].}}
|
| Laurie Merian
!
|
|
|
|-
|-
| Soccer || Soccer
| [[College soccer|Soccer]]
| [[Detroit Mercy Titans men's soccer|Titans men's soccer]]
| Nicholas Deren
!
| [[College soccer|Soccer]]
|
| Mike Lupenec
!
|
|
|
|-
|-
| Track and field<sup>†</sup> || Softball
| [[Tennis]]
|
| Aaron Paajanen
!
| [[College Softball|Softball]]
|
| John Conway
!
|
|
|
|-
|-
| || Track and field<sup>†</sup>
| [[Track & field]] ([[Track & Field#Indoor|indoor]] & [[Track & Field#Outdoor|outdoor]])
| [[Detroit Mercy Titans track and field|Titans track and field]]
| [[Guy Murray]]
!
| [[Tennis]]
|
| Aaron Paajanen
!
|
|
|
|-
|-
| colspan="2" style="{{NCAA color cell|Detroit Mercy Titans}}; text-align:center" | '''Co-ed sports'''
|
|- style="text-align:center"
|
| colspan="2"| Fencing
|
|-
!
| colspan="2" style="{{NCAA secondary color cell|Detroit Mercy Titans}}" | {{small|† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor}}
| [[Track & field]] ([[Track & Field#Indoor|indoor]] & [[Track & Field#Outdoor|outdoor]])
| [[Detroit Mercy Titans track and field|Titans track and field]]
| [[Guy Murray]]
!
|
|
|
|}
|}
;Notes
{{reflist|group=v}}


==Sports==
==Sports==


===Basketball, men's===
===Men’s basketball===
{{main|Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball}}
{{main|Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball}}


On June 13, 2018, Detroit Mercy named [[Mike Davis (basketball coach)|Mike Davis]] the 22nd head coach in men's basketball program history.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Paul|first=Tony|title=Mike Davis hired by Detroit Mercy; news conference Thursday|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2018/06/13/source-detroit-mercy-hires-mike-davis-presser-thursday/698750002/|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Detroit News|language=en}}</ref> The [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA tournament]]-tested Davis previously coached at [[Texas Southern Tigers basketball|Texas Southern University]], where he led the team to four regular season titles, four conference tournament championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He led [[Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball|Indiana University]] to the [[2002 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2002 NCAA Championship game]].
On April 12, 2008, UDM announced the hiring of Ray McCallum as men's basketball coach. McCallum is a veteran of more than 20 years in college basketball, most recently as assistant head coach at [[Indiana University]]. The Men's Basketball Team won the 2012 Horizon League Tournament, granting the Titans an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Titans received a 15 seed and lost to Kansas University in the tournament's second round.


Starring for the Titans is Davis’ son, [[Antoine Davis]]. In his debut season in 2018–19, Antoine Davis broke the NCAA Division I freshman record for 3-point field goals made in a season, previously held by NBA star [[Stephen Curry]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Geary|first=Molly|title=Antoine Davis breaks Steph Curry's freshman threes record|url=https://www.si.com/college/2019/03/01/detroit-antoine-davis-breaks-steph-curry-ncaa-freshman-record-threes|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Sports Illustrated|language=en-us}}</ref>
Former men's basketball coach [[Perry Watson]] led a successful program at Detroit's [[Southwestern High School (Michigan)|Southwestern High School]] and served as an assistant coach at the [[University of Michigan]] before coming to UDM and maintained strong recruiting ties within the city's public league. After 14 seasons Watson stepped down as head coach at the end of the 2007–2008 season. Watson guided Detroit to 10 winning seasons, three league titles, two NCAA Tournament appearances and an NIT Final Four. The Titans two NCAA appearances also included victories over [[St. John's University (New York City)|St. John's]] and [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA]]. Between 1997–98 and 2000–01, the Titans had four straight 20-victory seasons.


Former head coach [[Ray McCallum]] led Detroit Mercy to the Horizon League Championship during the 2011–12 season, granting the Titans an automatic bid to the [[2012 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA tournament]]. Detroit Mercy received a 15 seed and lost to the [[Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball|University of Kansas]] in the tournament's second round.
[[Dick Vitale]], ESPN's most well-known college basketball commentator, was the Detroit men's basketball Head Coach for four seasons (1973–1977) before becoming the school's Athletics Director in 1977. The following year he left to coach the [[Detroit Pistons]]. In his final year as a college head coach, "Dickie V." led the Detroit Titans to the Round of 16 in the [[1977 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1977 NCAA Tournament]] before losing to Michigan, 86-81.


McCallum's predecessor [[Perry Watson]] led a successful program at Detroit's [[Southwestern High School (Michigan)|Southwestern High School]] and served as an assistant coach at the [[Michigan Wolverines men's basketball|University of Michigan]] before coming to Detroit Mercy and maintained strong recruiting ties within the city's public league. After 14 seasons Watson stepped down as head coach at the end of the 2007–2008 season. Watson guided Detroit Mercy to 10 winning seasons, three league titles, two NCAA Tournament appearances and an NIT Final Four. The Titans two NCAA appearances also included victories over [[St. John's Red Storm men's basketball|St. John's]] and [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA]]. Between 1997–98 and 2000–01, the Titans had four straight 20-victory seasons.
===Basketball, women's===
{{main|Detroit Mercy Titans women's basketball}}
The University of Detroit Mercy hired [[Autumn Rademacher]], a former UDM star guard, as women's basketball coach for the 2008–2009 season. Rademacher's first Lady Titan team finished 12–19 overall record, which was a six-game turnaround from the previous season. The Titans also bettered their Horizon League mark by four games (7–11) from the 2007–08 campaign to finish eighth in the conference after placing last in the previous two seasons.


[[Dick Vitale]], ESPN's most well-known college basketball commentator, was the Detroit men's basketball head coach for four seasons (1973–1977) before becoming the school's athletic director in 1977. The following year he left to coach the [[Detroit Pistons]]. In his final year as a college head coach, "Dickie V" led the Titans to the Round of 16 in the [[1977 NCAA Division I basketball tournament|1977 NCAA tournament]] before losing 86–81 to [[1976–77 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team|Michigan]].
During the 2009–10 campaign, she led UDM to a 17–14 overall record, including a 14–4 mark in the Horizon League, an improvement of five overall wins and seven wins in conference play since her first season on the sidelines. The last time Detroit reached 14 conference wins was when Rademacher was a player during the 1996–97 season, a year that still stands as the only time Detroit has reached the NCAA tournament. UDM would end the year tied for second in the HL – its highest finish since the 2004 season – and an appearance in the conference semifinals.


===Women’s basketball===
In 2010–11, she led UDM to a 13–18 overall record. However, Detroit accomplished two more impressive feats by winning a postseason game for the third-straight year as well as defeating in-state rival and Big Ten member Michigan. The Titans held serve on their home court, downing Valparaiso to reach the Horizon League quarterfinals, while the 67–48 win over U-M was one of the biggest victories in school history. It not only ended a six-game losing streak to Michigan, it was the first triumph over the Wolverines – as well as against the Big Ten – since 1994.
{{main|Detroit Mercy Titans women's basketball}}
On June 15, 2021, LaTanya Collins was named interim head coach for the 2021–22 season, replacing AnnMarie Gilbert.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-16|title=Detroit Mercy names Collins interim hoops coach|url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/31640967/detroit-mercy-names-latanya-collins-interim-women-basketball-coach-replace-departing-annmarie-gilbert|access-date=2021-09-28|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}</ref> The program went through turmoil in what proved to be Gilbert's only season.


During the 2020–21 season, extensively affected by [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19]], Detroit Mercy was one of several Division I programs that canceled its season early, but the only one that did so for reasons unrelated to the pandemic. On January 17, 2021, the parents of all 14 players on the roster sent a letter to athletic director Robert Vowels Jr. alleging NCAA rules violations, as well as rampant emotional and physical abuse, by Gilbert.<ref>{{cite news|last=Solari|first=Chris|date=January 21, 2021|title=Detroit Mercy women's basketball players accuse their head coach of abuse, NCAA violations|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/2021/01/21/detroit-mercy-womens-basketball-players-annmarie-gilbert-abuse-ncaa-violations/4245788001/|accessdate=January 22, 2021}}</ref> After an internal investigation, Detroit Mercy retained Gilbert, but after all 14 players on the 2020–21 roster left the program,{{efn|group=main|Due to COVID-19, the NCAA ruled that the 2020–21 season would not be counted against the athletic eligibility of any basketball player. This meant that seniors, who otherwise would have exhausted their NCAA eligibility, could return for the 2021–22 season.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/di-council-extends-eligibility-winter-sport-student-athletes |title=DI Council extends eligibility for winter sport student-athletes |publisher=NCAA |date=October 14, 2020 |access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref>}} Gilbert resigned on June 15, with assistant Collins taking over on an interim basis.
In 2011–12, she led the Titans to their first 20-win season since 1997 and their first postseason appearance (WNIT) since that same year. Their 14 conference wins also tied a school record with the 14 she had back in 2010. They made their sixth trip to the Horizon League title game and the first in the Rademacher tenure as the Titans were the Horizon League Preseason No. 7 team at the beginning of the season, only to finish second and advance to the conference championship game.


Gilbert's predecessor, Bernard Scott, led the Titans to 33 wins in his first two seasons, including a trip to the Horizon League championship game at [[Joe Louis Arena]] in 2016–17. His contract was not renewed following the 2019–20 season.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Titans To Make A Change In Women's Basketball Program|url=https://detroittitans.com/news/2020/3/19/titans-to-make-a-change-in-womens-basketball-program.aspx|access-date=2020-06-16|website=University of Detroit Mercy Athletics|language=en}}</ref>
The 2012–13 season marked the fifth for Rademacher. She was awarded a three-year contract extension following the Titans' 20-win season and WNIT appearance during the 2011–12 campaign. The 2012–2013 Lady Titans finished fourth in the Horizon League with a 9–7 record and were invited to the [[Women's Basketball Invitational]] (WBI) National Tournament. The Lady Titans won the [[Women's Basketball Invitational]] (WBI) Championship with an exciting win over the McNeese State Cowgirls, 73-62.<ref>[http://www.detroittitans.com/news/2013/3/30/WBB_0330135410.aspx 2013 WBI Championship, retrieved 2013-April-4]</ref> It was the first postseason tournament win for Detroit since 1981 when the Titans defeated Michigan, Wayne State, and Oakland in the State-Large College Tournament. The UDM Lady Titans also won in 1979, 1980, and 1981. The Titan win was just the second time in the four-year history of the WBI that a No. 1 seed has won the championship and first time since the inaugural year of the [[Women's Basketball Invitational]].


Scott took over for [[Autumn Rademacher]], a former star guard at Detroit Mercy. Rademacher coached the Titans from 2008 to 2015, guiding the team to 89 victories, including a 20-win season in 2011–12 and appearances in the [[Women's National Invitation Tournament]] (WNIT) and [[Women's Basketball Invitational]] (WBI) National Tournament. In 2010–11, Rademacher led Detroit Mercy to a win over in-state rival and Big Ten member Michigan. The victory not only ended a six-game losing streak to Michigan, it was the first triumph over the Wolverines – as well as against the Big Ten – since 1994.
Detroit Mercy had a 6–24 record during the season of 2013–14. Rademacher's contract was not renewed in March 2015.


===Lacrosse, men's===
===Men’s lacrosse ===
Detroit Lacrosse, coached by Matt Holtz, won the 2013 MAAC Championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament where they were downed in the fourth quarter by Notre Dame.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Detroit Titans lacrosse prepares for first ever NCAA appearance in just its fifth season|url = http://blog.mlive.com/detroit-titans/2013/05/detroit_titans_lacrosse_prepar.html|accessdate = 2015-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = #2 Notre Dame’s Fourth-Period Rally Shocks Detroit In NCAA Championship|url = http://www.detroittitans.com/news/2013/5/11/MLAX_0511131712.aspx?path=mlax|website = DetroitTitans.com|accessdate = 2015-09-24}}</ref>
The Detroit Mercy men's lacrosse team, coached by Matt Holtz, won the 2013 MAAC Championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament, where they were downed in the fourth quarter by Notre Dame.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Detroit Titans lacrosse prepares for first ever NCAA appearance in just its fifth season|date = 10 May 2013|url = http://blog.mlive.com/detroit-titans/2013/05/detroit_titans_lacrosse_prepar.html|access-date = 2015-09-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = #2 Notre Dame's Fourth-Period Rally Shocks Detroit In NCAA Championship|url = http://www.detroittitans.com/news/2013/5/11/MLAX_0511131712.aspx?path=mlax|website = DetroitTitans.com|access-date = 2015-09-24}}</ref>


===Football (discontinued)===
===Football (discontinued)===
{{Main|Detroit Titans football}}
{{Main|Detroit Titans football}}

The first attempt at a football team for the University of Detroit was known as the [[Detroit Heralds]]. That team was disbanded after the 1904 season, and most of the players formed an amateur team of the same name in 1905. Although the university team returned in 1906, the amateur team remained, eventually evolving into a semi-professional team, then a professional team, ultimately joining the [[National Football League]] as a charter member in 1920. The Heralds folded in 1921.
The first attempt at a football team for the University of Detroit was known as the [[Detroit Heralds]]. That team was disbanded after the 1904 season, and most of the players formed an amateur team of the same name in 1905. Although the university team returned in 1906, the amateur team remained, eventually evolving into a semi-professional team, then a professional team, ultimately joining the [[National Football League]] as a charter member in 1920. The Heralds folded in 1921.


In 1928, the Detroit Titans under [[Gus Dorais]] finished with a record of 9-0-0. Several years later [[Parke H. Davis]], considered to be a "major selector" by the NCAA, named the 1928 team to a share of the [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|national championship]] <ref name=NCAA>{{cite web |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2015/FBS.pdf |title=National Poll Rankings |author=National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) |year=2015|work=NCAA Division I Football Records |publisher=NCAA |accessdate=January 4, 2016 |format=PDF}}</ref>
In 1928, the Detroit Titans under [[Gus Dorais]] finished with a record of 9–0–0. Several years later [[Parke H. Davis]], considered to be a "major selector" by the NCAA, named the 1928 team to a share of the [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|national championship]]<ref name=NCAA>{{cite web |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2015/FBS.pdf |title=National Poll Rankings |author=National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) |year=2015|work=NCAA Division I Football Records |publisher=NCAA |access-date=January 4, 2016 }}</ref>


[[John Idzik]] was the head coach for the final three seasons of the football program, from 1962 until 1964. His coaching record at Detroit was 6 wins, 21 losses and 1 tie.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DeLassus|first=David|title=Detroit Coaching Records|publisher=[[College Football Data Warehouse]]|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/discontinued/d/detroit/coaching_records.php| accessdate = November 29, 2010}}</ref> The school then disbanded the football team after the 1964 season due to cost.
[[John Idzik]] was the head coach for the final three seasons of the football program, from 1962 until 1964. His coaching record at Detroit was 6 wins, 21 losses and 1 tie.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DeLassus|first=David|title=Detroit Coaching Records|publisher=[[College Football Data Warehouse]]|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/discontinued/d/detroit/coaching_records.php|access-date=November 29, 2010|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923235330/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/discontinued/d/detroit/coaching_records.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> The school then disbanded the football team after the 1964 season due to cost.


===Other===
===Other===
Since 1996–97, Detroit Mercy Titans athletic teams have won 14 league championships, and 15 teams have competed in NCAA championships. The men's soccer team was the 2005 Horizon League champions.
Since 1996–97, Detroit Mercy athletic teams have won 26 league championships and made 13 NCAA postseason championships. The most recent team to do so was Detroit Mercy's softball team, which won the Horizon League Championship in 2019 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.


==Tournaments==
==Tournaments==
Detroit Mercy has been a host institution for several NCAA Tournament men's basketball games. The university hosted the 2008 Midwest Regional and [[2009 Final Four]], played at [[Ford Field]], as well as the 2018 First and Second Round games, played at [[Little Caesars Arena]]. In 2021, Detroit Mercy and [[Oakland University]] were scheduled to co-host the 2021 First and Second Round games at Little Caesars Arena, but the entire tournament was moved to Indianapolis due to [[COVID-19]] concerns. Detroit Mercy and Oakland are scheduled to co-host the 2024 Midwest Regional at Little Caesar's Arena.

The University was the host institution for the [[2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|2008 NCAA Midwest Regional]] and the [[2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|2009 NCAA Final Four]] men's basketball tournament at [[Ford Field]] in [[Detroit]].


==Notable alumni==
==Notable alumni==
{{main|List of University of Detroit Mercy people}}
{{main|List of University of Detroit Mercy people}}

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}


==References==
==References==
Line 187: Line 104:


==External links==
==External links==
{{commons cat}}
*{{Official website|http://www.detroittitans.com}}
*{{Official website}}


{{Horizon League navbox}}
{{Horizon League navbox}}
{{Mid-American Conference navbox}}
{{Michigan Sports}}
{{Michigan Sports}}
{{University of Detroit Mercy}}
{{University of Detroit Mercy}}


[[Category:Detroit Titans|*]]
[[Category:Detroit Mercy Titans| ]]
[[Category:Sports teams in Detroit]]
[[Category:Sports clubs and teams in Detroit]]

Latest revision as of 20:57, 9 December 2024

Detroit Mercy Titans
Logo
UniversityUniversity of Detroit Mercy
ConferenceHorizon League (primary)
ASUN (men's lacrosse)
MAC (women's lacrosse)
NCAADivision I
Athletic directorRobert Vowels
LocationDetroit, Michigan
Varsity teams17
Basketball arenaCalihan Hall
Baseball stadiumBuysse Ballpark
Soccer stadiumTitan Field
MascotTommy Titan
NicknameTitans
ColorsRed, white, and blue[1]
     
Websitedetroittitans.com

The Detroit Mercy Titans (formerly known as the Detroit Titans) are the athletic teams of University of Detroit Mercy. The university is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. The school primarily competes in the Horizon League, but competes in other conferences for fencing and lacrosse, sports not sponsored for either men or women by the Horizon League. Fencing, a co-ed sport, competes in the Midwest Fencing Conference. Men's lacrosse moved from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference to the ASUN Conference in July 2021.[2] Women's lacrosse joined the Mid-American Conference for that league's first women's lacrosse season in 2021.[3][4]

Teams

[edit]

A member of the Horizon League, Detroit Mercy sponsors 17 NCAA varsity teams (seven men's, eight women's, and one co-ed NCAA-sanctioned sports).[5] Previously the Tigers, in either 1919[6] or 1924[7] the school adopted the Titans nickname.

Men's sports Women's sports
Basketball Basketball
Cross country Cross country
Golf Golf
Lacrosse Lacrosse
Soccer Soccer
Track and field† Softball
Track and field†
Co-ed sports
Fencing
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

Sports

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Men’s basketball

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Main article: Detroit Mercy Titans men's basketball

On June 13, 2018, Detroit Mercy named Mike Davis the 22nd head coach in men's basketball program history.[8] The NCAA tournament-tested Davis previously coached at Texas Southern University, where he led the team to four regular season titles, four conference tournament championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He led Indiana University to the 2002 NCAA Championship game.

Starring for the Titans is Davis’ son, Antoine Davis. In his debut season in 2018–19, Antoine Davis broke the NCAA Division I freshman record for 3-point field goals made in a season, previously held by NBA star Stephen Curry.[9]

Former head coach Ray McCallum led Detroit Mercy to the Horizon League Championship during the 2011–12 season, granting the Titans an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Detroit Mercy received a 15 seed and lost to the University of Kansas in the tournament's second round.

McCallum's predecessor Perry Watson led a successful program at Detroit's Southwestern High School and served as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan before coming to Detroit Mercy and maintained strong recruiting ties within the city's public league. After 14 seasons Watson stepped down as head coach at the end of the 2007–2008 season. Watson guided Detroit Mercy to 10 winning seasons, three league titles, two NCAA Tournament appearances and an NIT Final Four. The Titans two NCAA appearances also included victories over St. John's and UCLA. Between 1997–98 and 2000–01, the Titans had four straight 20-victory seasons.

Dick Vitale, ESPN's most well-known college basketball commentator, was the Detroit men's basketball head coach for four seasons (1973–1977) before becoming the school's athletic director in 1977. The following year he left to coach the Detroit Pistons. In his final year as a college head coach, "Dickie V" led the Titans to the Round of 16 in the 1977 NCAA tournament before losing 86–81 to Michigan.

Women’s basketball

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Main article: Detroit Mercy Titans women's basketball

On June 15, 2021, LaTanya Collins was named interim head coach for the 2021–22 season, replacing AnnMarie Gilbert.[10] The program went through turmoil in what proved to be Gilbert's only season.

During the 2020–21 season, extensively affected by COVID-19, Detroit Mercy was one of several Division I programs that canceled its season early, but the only one that did so for reasons unrelated to the pandemic. On January 17, 2021, the parents of all 14 players on the roster sent a letter to athletic director Robert Vowels Jr. alleging NCAA rules violations, as well as rampant emotional and physical abuse, by Gilbert.[11] After an internal investigation, Detroit Mercy retained Gilbert, but after all 14 players on the 2020–21 roster left the program,[a] Gilbert resigned on June 15, with assistant Collins taking over on an interim basis.

Gilbert's predecessor, Bernard Scott, led the Titans to 33 wins in his first two seasons, including a trip to the Horizon League championship game at Joe Louis Arena in 2016–17. His contract was not renewed following the 2019–20 season.[13]

Scott took over for Autumn Rademacher, a former star guard at Detroit Mercy. Rademacher coached the Titans from 2008 to 2015, guiding the team to 89 victories, including a 20-win season in 2011–12 and appearances in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) and Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) National Tournament. In 2010–11, Rademacher led Detroit Mercy to a win over in-state rival and Big Ten member Michigan. The victory not only ended a six-game losing streak to Michigan, it was the first triumph over the Wolverines – as well as against the Big Ten – since 1994.

Men’s lacrosse

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The Detroit Mercy men's lacrosse team, coached by Matt Holtz, won the 2013 MAAC Championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament, where they were downed in the fourth quarter by Notre Dame.[14][15]

Football (discontinued)

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Main article: Detroit Titans football

The first attempt at a football team for the University of Detroit was known as the Detroit Heralds. That team was disbanded after the 1904 season, and most of the players formed an amateur team of the same name in 1905. Although the university team returned in 1906, the amateur team remained, eventually evolving into a semi-professional team, then a professional team, ultimately joining the National Football League as a charter member in 1920. The Heralds folded in 1921.

In 1928, the Detroit Titans under Gus Dorais finished with a record of 9–0–0. Several years later Parke H. Davis, considered to be a "major selector" by the NCAA, named the 1928 team to a share of the national championship[16]

John Idzik was the head coach for the final three seasons of the football program, from 1962 until 1964. His coaching record at Detroit was 6 wins, 21 losses and 1 tie.[17] The school then disbanded the football team after the 1964 season due to cost.

Other

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Since 1996–97, Detroit Mercy athletic teams have won 26 league championships and made 13 NCAA postseason championships. The most recent team to do so was Detroit Mercy's softball team, which won the Horizon League Championship in 2019 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

Tournaments

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Detroit Mercy has been a host institution for several NCAA Tournament men's basketball games. The university hosted the 2008 Midwest Regional and 2009 Final Four, played at Ford Field, as well as the 2018 First and Second Round games, played at Little Caesars Arena. In 2021, Detroit Mercy and Oakland University were scheduled to co-host the 2021 First and Second Round games at Little Caesars Arena, but the entire tournament was moved to Indianapolis due to COVID-19 concerns. Detroit Mercy and Oakland are scheduled to co-host the 2024 Midwest Regional at Little Caesar's Arena.

Notable alumni

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Main article: List of University of Detroit Mercy people

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Due to COVID-19, the NCAA ruled that the 2020–21 season would not be counted against the athletic eligibility of any basketball player. This meant that seniors, who otherwise would have exhausted their NCAA eligibility, could return for the 2021–22 season.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "University of Detroit Mercy Brand Standards Guide" (PDF). September 15, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  2. ^ "ASUN Conference Announces Formation of Men's Lacrosse League" (Press release). ASUN Conference. February 5, 2021. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  3. ^ "SoCon to add women's lacrosse as 22nd sport".
  4. ^ "Women's Lacrosse Coming in 2020-21; Detroit Mercy & Youngstown State As Affiliates" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. November 6, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  5. ^ "Detroit Mercy Titans". University of Detroit Mercy. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  6. ^ "Titans Host Oakland In #MetroSeries Battle On Red Out Saturday". detroittitans.com. Detroit Titans Athletics. January 18, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2018. Until 1919, the U-D teams were known as the Tigers. In the fall of 1919, Detroit Free Press' sportswriter Stan Brink, who was covering football for the paper, thought that a good nickname for the team would be the Titans.
  7. ^ Joe Niese; Bob Dorais (10 September 2018). Gus Dorais: Gridiron Innovator, All-American and Hall of Fame Coach. McFarland. p. 132. ISBN 978-1-4766-3409-8. Retrieved September 23, 2018. In 1924 the Tigers changed their nickname to the more unique 'Titans.'
  8. ^ Paul, Tony. "Mike Davis hired by Detroit Mercy; news conference Thursday". Detroit News. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  9. ^ Geary, Molly. "Antoine Davis breaks Steph Curry's freshman threes record". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  10. ^ "Detroit Mercy names Collins interim hoops coach". ESPN.com. 2021-06-16. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  11. ^ Solari, Chris (January 21, 2021). "Detroit Mercy women's basketball players accuse their head coach of abuse, NCAA violations". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  12. ^ "DI Council extends eligibility for winter sport student-athletes" (Press release). NCAA. October 14, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  13. ^ "Titans To Make A Change In Women's Basketball Program". University of Detroit Mercy Athletics. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  14. ^ "Detroit Titans lacrosse prepares for first ever NCAA appearance in just its fifth season". 10 May 2013. Retrieved 2015-09-24.
  15. ^ "#2 Notre Dame's Fourth-Period Rally Shocks Detroit In NCAA Championship". DetroitTitans.com. Retrieved 2015-09-24.
  16. ^ National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2015). "National Poll Rankings" (PDF). NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  17. ^ DeLassus, David. "Detroit Coaching Records". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
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