University of Tampa Spartans: A Legacy of Athletic Excellence

The University of Tampa (UT) is represented in intercollegiate athletics by the Tampa Spartans. Located in Tampa, Florida, the Spartans compete in NCAA Division II, primarily as members of the Sunshine State Conference (SSC). The athletic director is E.J.

Conference Affiliations and NCAA Division

The Tampa Spartans primarily compete in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC). However, beach volleyball and track and field operate as independent programs. As members of NCAA Division II, the Spartans have established themselves as a formidable force in collegiate athletics.

National Titles

As of December 2022, Spartan varsity teams have won 19 NCAA Division II National Titles, ranking them seventh among current Division II teams. They also won a beach volleyball title in the AVCA in 2019 and 2021, for a total of 21 national titles. The Spartans have achieved significant success across various sports, including:

Baseball: Eight titles (1992, 1993, 1998, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2015 and 2019)
Men's Soccer: Three titles (1981, 1994 and 2001)
Golf: Two titles (1987 and 1988)
Women's Volleyball: Four titles (2006, 2014, 2018, and 2021)
Women's Soccer: One title (2007)
Men's Lacrosse: One title (2022)

Rivalries

UT's first athletic rival was St. Petersburg College. UT adopted the Spartan as its mascot in the 1930s because SPC were known as the Trojans at the time. The Spartans' main rival is the nearby Sunshine State Conference foe Florida Southern College Moccasins. The rivalry is known best for its baseball games, with both teams regularly among the best in NCAA Division II. The Spartans and Mocs have a combined 19 baseball national championships, with Tampa winning 10 and FSC winning 9. Each August, the Spartans men's soccer team faces their crosstown rivals, the Division I University of South Florida Bulls, in an NCAA preseason match which celebrates the Tampa Bay Area's rich soccer history. In addition to holding the Rowdies Cup trophy for the next 12 months, the winning side also gets to hoist the actual 1975 Soccer Bowl trophy that was won by the original Tampa Bay Rowdies and is housed at USF's Corbett Soccer Stadium.

Former Football Program

UT fielded a men's football team from 1933 to 1974. The "Tampa U" Spartans first played at Plant Field near the school's campus from 1933 to 1936, then played across the street at Phillips Field for three decades, then became Tampa Stadium's first home team when they moved to the brand-new venue in 1967. The move to Tampa Stadium coincided with the program's greatest success. The Spartans beat the cross-state rival Miami Hurricanes in 1970, moved up to NCAA Division I in 1971, and defeated the Hurricanes again in 1972. However, rising expenses resulted in the football program operating at a loss and required the school to subsidize it with several hundred thousand dollars per year.

Academic Programs at the University of Tampa

The University of Tampa provides a wide array of academic programs designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in their chosen fields. These programs span various disciplines, catering to a diverse range of interests and career aspirations.

Accounting

The accounting major provides students with a comprehensive, well-planned and balanced learning experience designed to prepare graduates for success in the accounting profession and the business community. Qualified undergraduate accounting students may apply for enrollment in the accelerated B.S./M.S. program, earning both degrees in five years of study.

Art Therapy

Students will learn how to use the creation of art to resolve emotional conflicts and foster self-awareness and personal growth through education, rehabilitation and psychotherapy.

Asian Studies

The minor in Asian studies focuses on the history, culture, and politics of East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.

Athletic Training

Athletic training encompasses the prevention, examination, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of emergent, acute or chronic injuries and medical conditions. Athletic training is recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA), Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as an allied healthcare profession.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

Biochemistry

Biochemistry degrees prepare students for entering the job market or for continuing their education at the graduate level.

Black Studies

The minor in Black studies provides an interdisciplinary foundation in the histories, cultures and philosophies of the African Diaspora, using a global lens to examine race and ethnicity through various fields of study.

Communication and Speech Studies

The B.A. in Communication and Speech Studies program provides students with the opportunity to develop their communication and critical thinking skills.

Criminology and Criminal Justice

The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice prepares graduates for some of today's most fascinating and rewarding careers in professions that serve the community and the society-at-large in law enforcement, the courts and corrections, and victim advocacy.

Cybersecurity

The University of Tampa’s major in cybersecurity teaches students to protect the confidentiality, availability and integrity of information and information systems that support modern organizations.

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

Economics

Economics is the science of decision-making. The discipline includes the study of the production, exchange, and consumption of material goods and services.

Education

UT's Online Master of Education (M.Ed) in curriculum and instruction has a reputable, long-standing relationship with Tampa Bay area school districts and administrators. The program enhances the teaching and leadership skills of currently certified teachers and can be completed 100% online in as little as 13 months. Faculty members, many of whom have worked as teachers, hold doctorate degrees in education. Their powerful combination of academic expertise and firsthand knowledge was used in the development of the program curriculum. The Bachelor's-to-Master's option allows a University of Tampa undergraduate education major to begin two courses (up to 8 credits) from the M.Ed. The Bachelor of Science in Secondary Biology Education program provides students with the academic knowledge, learning strategies and teaching approaches needed to be successful science teachers. The Bachelor of Science in Secondary Mathematics Education program provides students with the academic knowledge, learning strategies and teaching approaches needed to be successful mathematics teachers. The Bachelor of Science in Secondary Social Science Education program provides students with the academic knowledge, learning strategies and teaching approaches needed to be successful social science teachers.

Exercise and Nutrition Science

The Master of Science in Exercise and Nutrition Science prepares students to work in the sports industry, business, government and in education as practitioners on professional interdisciplinary teams.

Film and Media Arts

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Film and Media Arts is a professional degree program with a focus on hands-on production of documentary, narrative and experimental films using state-of-the-art motion picture cameras and post-production facilities.

French

The Minor in French program helps prepare students for graduate or professional schools and for a variety of career opportunities.

Graphic Design

The BFA in Graphic Design is a major that will prepare students to become “lifestyle designers”-the practice of designing innovative visual communication, experiences and socially responsible solutions.

History

The Bachelor of Arts in History program is designed to help students see themselves and their society from different times and places, while displaying an informed perspective and a mature view of human nature.

Information and Technology Management

The University of Tampa's Master of Science in Information and Technology Management, a STEM-approved program, is designed for IT professionals who want to develop both their technical expertise and managerial skills to advance their career.

Interactive Media

The Interactive Media Minor aims to act as an interdisciplinary liaison with other Majors and Programs at the University of Tampa. Its goal is to prepare a new generation of innovators and leaders in the field of interaction design.

International Studies

The Bachelor of Arts in International Studies gives students knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in today’s globalized world.

Law, Justice, and Advocacy

The Law, Justice and Advocacy Minor offers a unique combination of experiential legal education and traditional academic inquiry.

Marine Biology

The Bachelor of Arts in Marine Biology provides students with a selection of courses needed to prepare for a career in marine biology or for further study in graduate or professional programs. The Marine Science - Biology degree draws from general biological principles and very specific marine-related issues.

Nonprofit Management

UT and the Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay have partnered to offer a graduate-level education designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of current and emerging nonprofit executives.

Nursing

With a focus on real-world relevancy, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree continues a tradition of excellence in nursing education at The University of Tampa. This convenient, online program consists of 30 credit hours spread over six semesters.

Physician Assistant Medicine

The University of Tampa’s graduate-level physician assistant program leads to a Master of Physician Assistant Medicine (MPAM) degree. The program follows the traditional medical model of training, providing in-depth analysis of disease processes, diagnosis and treatment.

Professional Communication

UT’s Master of Arts in Professional Communication equips students with the communication knowledge and skills needed for success in a variety of fields.

Financial Performance of Athletic Programs

The financial performance of the athletic programs varies from sport to sport.

One program turned a profit of $846,757.
One program was a moneymaker for the school, bringing in $255,974 in net profit.
One program was a moneymaker for the school, bringing in $25,607 in net profit.
One program equates to a net profit of $16,585.
One program made $21,443 in net profit for the school.
One program made $24,142 in net profit for the school.
One program raked in a net profit of $9,188 for the school.
One program was a moneymaker for the school, bringing in $4,447 in net profit.
One program was a moneymaker for the school, bringing in $25,974 in net profit.
One program was a moneymaker for the school, bringing in $9,688 in net profit.
One program raked in a net profit of $108 for the school.
One program equates to a net profit of $13,760.
One program made $14,908 in net profit for the school.
One program raked in a net profit of $2,892 for the school.
One program raked in a net profit of $3,123 for the school.
One program equates to a net profit of $2,279.
One program equates to a net profit of $44,691.

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