Athletic teams representing Kentucky State University
| Kentucky State Thorobreds and Thorobrettes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | Kentucky State University |
| Conference | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| NCAA | Division II |
| Athletic director | Ramon Johnson (Interim) |
| Location | Frankfort, Kentucky |
| Varsity teams | 14 |
| Football stadium | Alumni Stadium |
| Nickname | Thorobreds and Thorobrettes |
| Colors | Green and gold |
| Website | www |
The Kentucky State Thorobreds and Thorobrettes are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Kentucky State University, located in Frankfort, Kentucky, in intercollegiate sports at the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Thorobreds and Thorobrettes are members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), which they have competed since the 1997–98 academic year. Kentucky State previously competed in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) from 1989–90 to 1993–94. KSU's main rivals are Tennessee State University, West Virginia State University, and Central State University.
Varsity teams
Facilities
The William Exum Center, the university's athletic and recreational complex, was named after William Exum, the first African-American varsity football player at the University of Wisconsin. Exum was hired as head of KSU's Physical Education department in 1949, and later made head of the Athletics department. He then became manager of the United States Track and Field teams at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics. Exum retired from KSU in 1980.
List of teams
|
Men's sports (8)
|
Women's sports (6)
|
- Notes
- ^ The NCAA considers indoor and outdoor track & field to be two separate sports. Indoor track is part of the NCAA's winter season, with outdoor track in the NCAA spring season.
Men's basketball
From 1970 to 1972, the Thorobreds won three straight NAIA national titles (1970, 1971, 1972). As of 2017, they are still only the second team to do so, joining Tennessee State (1957, 1958, 1959).
National championships
Team
| Sport | Association | Division | Year | Opponent/Runner-up | Score/Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's basketball (3) | NAIA | Single | 1970 | Central Washington State | 79–71 |
| 1971 | Eastern Michigan | 102–82 | |||
| 1972 | Wisconsin–Eau Claire | 71–62 | |||
| Women's basketball (1) | NAIA | Single | 1981 | Texas Southern | 73–67 |
| Men's cross country (1) | NCAA | College | 1964 | NE Missouri State Teachers | 95–105 (-10) |
| Men's outdoor track and field (1) | NCAA | College | 1971 | Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | 42–31 |
Conferences
Classifications
- NCAA
- 1951–1972: NCAA College Division
- 1973–present: NCAA Division II
- NAIA
- 1958–1969: NAIA
- 1970–1984: NAIA Division I
Conference affiliations
- 1907–08 to 1944–45: Independent
- 1945–46 to 1961–62: Midwest Athletic Association
- 1962–63 to 1963–64: Midwest Conference
- 1964–65 to 1966–67: Midwestern Conference
- 1967–68 to 1972–73: NAIA Independent
- 1973–74 to 1988–89: Division II Independent
- 1989–90 to 1993–94: Great Lakes Valley Conference
- 1994–95 to 1996–97: Division II Independent
- 1997–98 to present: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
References
- "Ramon Johnson - Interim Athletic Director". Retrieved January 12, 2023.
- "Kentucky State University 2017 Graphic Standards Manual" (PDF). March 19, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
- "KSU Thorobreds". Kentucky State University. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- "Exum, William". University of Kentucky Libraries. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- "First Point Volleyball Foundation and USA Volleyball Makes a $1 Million Investment to SIAC Member Institutions". Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
