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Tulane Green Wave

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Tulane Green Wave
Logo
UniversityTulane University
ConferenceThe American (primary)
CUSA (beach volleyball, bowling)
NCAADivision I (FBS)
Athletic directorDavid Harris
LocationNew Orleans, Louisiana
Varsity teams14
Football stadiumYulman Stadium
Basketball arenaAvron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse
Baseball stadiumGreer Field at Turchin Stadium
Other venuesCity Park/Pepsi Tennis Center
Colonial Lanes
English Turn Golf and Country Club
Reily Student-Recreation Center Natatorium
Southern Yacht Club
Tad Gormley Stadium
White Sands Volleyball Courts
MascotRiptide
NicknameGreen Wave
Fight song"The Olive and the Blue"
CheerThe Hullabaloo
ColorsOlive green and sky blue[1]
   
Websitewww.tulanegreenwave.com
Conference logo in Tulane's colors

The Tulane Green Wave are the athletic teams that represent Tulane University, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tulane competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the American Athletic Conference (The American). There are 14 Green Wave intercollegiate programs,[2] two of which compete outside The American. Beach volleyball and bowling, women's sports that are not sponsored by The American, compete in Conference USA (CUSA).[3][4]

Nickname

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Tulane's nickname was adopted during the 1920 season, after a song titled "The Rolling Green Wave" was published in the Tulane Hullabaloo in 1920. From 1893 to 1919 the athletic teams of Tulane were officially known as "The Olive and Blue", for the official school colors. In 1919 the Tulane Weekly, one of Tulane's many student newspapers at the time and the predecessor of the Tulane Hullabaloo, began referring to the football team as the "Greenbacks", an unofficial nickname that also led to another: the "Greenies".[5]

History

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Early history

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The university was a charter member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), formed in 1932.[6] Prior to this, they had competed in the Southern Conference.[7] During its time in the SEC, the men's tennis program won 18 conference championships,[7] while the football program won conference championships for the 1934, 1939, and 1949 seasons.[6] During the 1948 season, Tulane football led the SEC in home game attendance, with an average of 37,058 spectators per game.[7]

Athletics deemphasis and SEC departure

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Starting in 1951, Rufus Carrollton Harris, the university's president, initiated a deemphasis of athletics.[7] That year, Harris reduced the number of football athletic scholarships from 100—an average amount in the SEC at the time—to 75.[7] Prior to the deemphasis, many football players studied physical education (PE) at Tulane, which did not require college athletes to pursue an academic major and allowed them to spend 50 hours per week on PE coursework.[7] However, Tulane under Harris reclassified PE as an academic minor, further requiring college athletes to pursue bachelor's degrees.[7] Salaries for coaches and athletic personnel were also decreased and limits were placed on coaches' ability to scout.[7]

This deemphasis caused Tulane to field a less competitive football program.[7] From 1952 to 1965, Tulane recorded a 37–95–8 record, averaging below three wins per season.[7] The football program had four head coaches during this time and only recorded two seasons with a winning record.[7] In conference play, the Green Wave recorded a 16–71–5 record,[7] and from 1957 to 1965, Tulane did not win more than one conference game per season.[6] In September 1963, the university announced that they would remain in the SEC while studying possible alternatives.[7] Around this time, there were rumors that Tulane would form a "Southern Ivy League" with schools such as Duke University, Rice University, and Southern Methodist University, though this never came to fruition.[7]

On December 31, 1964, Herbert E. Longenecker, Tulane's president and the vice president of the SEC, announced that the university would be leaving the conference in June 1966.[7] While Longenecker announced that the cost of the football program was not a factor in the decision to leave the SEC, the Tulane Hullabaloo reported in 1965 that the football program was losing the university roughly half a million dollars per year.[7] The Hullabaloo's sports editor Stuart Ghertner wrote that some Tulane fans thought the university was simply "saving face" by leaving, as it was possible that the university would have been expelled from the SEC the following year.[7] According to The Clarion-Ledger newspaper, one reason for the departure was the transition that Tulane had overtaken in the previous few years from a regionally renowned to a nationally renowned university, with the university believing that athletic independence would allow for more games across the country.[6] Tommy O'Boyle, the head coach of the football team at the time, said of the departure, "It sure can't do us any harm. Tulane is a national university. Now we can play a national schedule".[6]

Post-SEC departure

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Following its departure, Tulane continued its in-state rivalry with the LSU Tigers, who had remained in the SEC.[7] In its first few years as an independent, the football program enjoyed an increase in attendance and recorded three winning seasons in seven years, with its first season as an independent being its first winning season in ten years.[7] However, increased costs associated with university athletics, such as Title IX compliance and increased salaries for coaches, hurt the athletics department, and its status as an independent damaged several longstanding conference rivalries and eliminated the possibility of competing for conference championships, which hurt public interest.[7]

In 1975, Tulane joined the Metro Conference for all sports except football.[7] From 1985 to 1989, the university did not have a basketball program, and the university nearly voted to end its football program in 1985.[7] In the late 1980s, Tulane expressed interest in rejoining the SEC, but the interest was not reciprocated by the conference, which was under the commissionership of Harvey Schiller.[6] However, the discussions led the SEC to pursue conference expansion, eventually leading to the admission of the University of Arkansas and the University of South Carolina into the SEC.[6] In 1995, the Metro Conference merged with the Great Midwest Conference to form Conference USA.[7] Tulane became a full member in this new conference for all sports, including football.[7] In 2014, the university left Conference USA and joined the American Athletic Conference.[7]

Conference affiliations

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NCAA

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Tulane has been both an independent and affiliated with multiple conferences.[8]: 183–210 

Sports sponsored

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Men's sports Women's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Beach volleyball
Cross country Bowling
Football Cross country
Sailing Golf
Tennis Sailing
Track and field Swimming and diving
Tennis
Track & Field
Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

Baseball

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Main article: Tulane Green Wave baseball
Green Wave baseball players in 2003

The Tulane baseball team, also established in 1893, is managed by head coach Jay Uhlman. The program has appeared in the NCAA tournament 22 times and in the College World Series twice. They play home games on campus at Turchin Stadium.

Men's basketball

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Main article: Tulane Green Wave men's basketball

The men's basketball team, established in 1905, is coached by Ron Hunter, who was hired following the 2018-19 season. They play their home games in Avron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse, named after a donation that enabled extensive renovations in 2012–13. It is the 9th-oldest active basketball venue in the nation.[16]

Women's basketball

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Main article: Tulane Green Wave women's basketball

The women's team has been coached since 1995 by Lisa Stockton, who has led the program to 15 postseason tournaments, including 10 NCAA tournament appearances. They play their home games in Avron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse, named after a donation that enabled extensive renovations in 2012–13. It is the 9th-oldest active basketball venue in the nation.[16]

Women's beach volleyball

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The Tulane Green Wave women's beach volleyball team competes in NCAA Division I beach volleyball in Conference USA (CUSA), having joined that conference as an associate member in 2022. The team was founded in 2011.[17]

Football

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Main article: Tulane Green Wave football
The Green Wave football team in 2013

The Tulane football team, established in 1893, competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Green Wave football teams have won 10 conference championships, including three in the SEC and one each in CUSA and The American, and have appeared in 12 postseason bowl games. They are coached by Jon Sumrall and play home games in Yulman Stadium.

Men's tennis

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The Tulane Green Wave men's tennis team competes in NCAA Division I tennis and is part of the American Athletic Conference. The team won the NCAA tennis team championship in 1959. The men's tennis team also won eight singles team non-NCAA recognized national championships and two doubles team non-NCAA recognized national championships. It also won an individual indoor singles national championship.

Women's tennis

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The Tulane Green Wave women's tennis team competes in NCAA Division I tennis and is part of the American Athletic Conference.

Women's volleyball

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The Tulane Green Wave women's volleyball team competes in NCAA Division I volleyball and is part of the American Athletic Conference. They play their home matches at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse.

Championships

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Men's conference championships

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Tulane Cheer at Homecoming, 2012
  • Baseball (6): 1948 • 1997 • 1998 • 2001 • 2005 • 2016
Tournament (10): 1979 • 1982 • 1992 • 1996 • 1998 • 1999 • 2001 • 2005 • 2023 • 2024[18]
  • Basketball (4): 1924 • 1944 • 1976 • 1992
  • Cross Country (1): 2001[19]
  • Football (10): 1920 • 1925 • 1929 • 1930 • 1931 • 1934 • 1939 • 1949 • 1998 • 2022
  • Tennis (6): 1997 • 2001 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005[20] • 2018

Women's conference championships

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  • Basketball (4): 1997 • 1999 • 2007 • 2010
Tournament (5): 1997 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2010[21]
  • Golf (7): 2004 • 2005 • 2009 • 2010 • 2013[22] • 2014[23] • 2022[24]
  • Swimming/Diving (1): 2005[25]
  • Tennis (4): 2001 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005[26]
  • Volleyball (1): 2008
Tournament (1): 2008[27]

NCAA team championships

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Further information: American Athletic Conference NCAA team championships and List of NCAA schools with the most NCAA Division I championships

Tulane has won one team national championship granted by the NCAA.[28]

Men's (1)

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Other national team championships

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One national team title was bestowed by USA Rugby:

  • Women's Rugby (1): 2016 (Division II spring),[29] lost full-year title game

Nine national team titles were bestowed by the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association and other sailing associations:

  • Sailing (9):
    • ICSA (4): 1973 (coed dinghy),[30] 1974 (sloop,[31] overall[32]), 2022 (coed dinghy)[33]
    • Douglas Cup (match racing) (3): 1969,[34][35] 1970,[36] 1989[37]
    • Kennedy Cup (offshore large boats) (2): 1970, 1971[38]
See also: Intercollegiate sports team champions

Individual or event championships

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Men's

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Women's

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  • Sailing (1): 2023 (singlehanded)[44]

Athletic facilities

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Current facilities

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Practice facilities

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  • Hertz Center, Basketball/Volleyball Practice Facility — Men's and women's basketball, Volleyball

Former facilities

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Non-varsity athletic facilities

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  • Reily Student-Recreation Center — Badminton, Basketball, Indoor soccer, Indoor track, Natatorium (Swimming), Racquetball, Rowing, Squash, Volleyball and Weightlifting
    • Brown Field — Flag football, Soccer and Rugby
    • Tennis courts — Tennis

Traditions

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Logo and mascot

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The TUMB performs each pregame and halftime

Tulane officials commissioned John Chase in 1945 to illustrate the covers of its football game programs. He came up with Greenie, a mischievous boy who would be considered an unofficial mascot by many fans. Chase illustrated Greenie on program covers until 1969.[46]

In 1963 the Athletics Director and Eldon Endacott, manager of the university bookstore, contacted Art Evans, a commercial artist who already had designed the Boilermaker mascot for Purdue University, the Wisconsin Badgers and the University of Southern California Trojan, to create a new mascot for Tulane athletics. His design for a mean-looking anthropomorphic wave-crest was officially adopted in 1964.

A new logo consisting of a white block "T" with green and blue waves crossing its center was adopted in 1986 as the primary symbol for official uniforms, though the "Angry Wave" cartoon continued to be used in licensed products, and a costumed wave nicknamed Gumby also served as the mascot.

A full redesign of all athletics logos and marks was commissioned in 1998, replacing the "angry wave" and "wavy T" designs with a green and blue oblique T crested by a foamy wave. Gumby was replaced with a new pelican mascot, recalling the university seal, and the fact that a pelican was often used in the first half of the century as the emblem of Tulane's athletics teams. The pelican is also the Louisiana state bird and is found on the state flag and state seal. The name "Riptide" was selected for the performing pelican by the administration after a vote of the student body in which the students actually voted that the pelican be named "Pecker." The pelican mascot name may have been so voted as the student body had also overwhelmingly voted for Poseidon to be the mascot. Poseidon was rejected by the administration and student body government because it could be portrayed as a white male. In 2014, Tulane changed the color of the "wave" above the "T" from a seafoam green to a color closer to lime green.

In 2017, Tulane announced that the "T-Wave" would be replaced as the primary logo by a redesigned "Angry Wave".[47]

Notable sports alumni

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See also: List of Tulane University people § Sports

Green Wave Club

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The Green Wave Club, formerly known as the Tulane Athletics Fund, is the official fundraising arm of Tulane Green Wave, supporting Green Wave student-athletes in their academic, athletic, and community pursuits by providing unrestricted annual funds to the Athletics department.

In 2007 the fund set a record for membership with 2,210 donors contributing.[48] In 2011 it spearheaded the "Home Field Advantage" campaign to fully fund the $73 million construction of Yulman Stadium on the Uptown campus through private donations.

Athletics reform

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After coming off a winning season and a Hawaii Bowl victory in 2003, it was leaked that Former President Scott Cowen and the Board of Trustees was planning to vote on either doing away with a commitment to Division 1 football, or propose scaling down to Division 3 due to their concern for the long-term financial viability of sustaining a Division 1 athletic program in the changing BCS landscape. When the news leaked, the outrage by fans, alumni, and boosters forced the Board of Trustees to pivot and claim it actually intended to undertake a comprehensive "review" of athletics.[49] The outcome of the review was a commitment to maintaining a Division I athletic program, and also included points to address academic performance, graduation rates, financial viability, and support for athletics within the overall University mission.[50] (In 2003 Tulane's graduation rate for student-athletes stood at 79%, ranking 14th among all Division I programs.)

Scott Cowen began a dialog with other university presidents calling for a change to the existing system that rewards established powers at the expense of less successful programs. His criticisms, in particular of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in football, led to the creation of the Presidential Coalition for Athletics Reform and opened the door for hearings on college athletics revenues in the Senate Judiciary Committee in October 2003. On February 29, 2004, the BCS met in Miami, Florida, and agreed to amend revenue distribution and open the series to more opportunities for BCS non-AQ teams. As a member of the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee, Cowen was active in decision-making regarding the future of college football.[51]

Effects of Hurricane Katrina

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Further information: Effect of Hurricane Katrina on Tulane University

As a result of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, Tulane's varsity sports teams, with the exception of cross country and track and field, moved to four universities in Texas and Louisiana for the remainder of that academic semester, while continuing to represent Tulane in competition:[52]

For its fortitude in the face of Katrina, the 2005 Tulane football team received Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award and the Football Writers Association of America Annual Courage Award.[53] The university's Renewal Plan called for the suspension of some of its sports, and it did not return to a full 16 teams until the 2011–12 school year.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ 2019 Tulane Athletics Art Sheet (PDF). October 10, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Sports". Tulane. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  3. ^ "Tulane Joins C-USA as Affiliate Member in Beach Volleyball" (Press release). Conference USA. August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  4. ^ "Conference USA to Add Bowling for 2023-24 Season" (Press release). Conference USA. May 10, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  5. ^ "Tulane Admission: Traditions". Tulane University. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Toppmeyer, Blake (September 16, 2021). "'Tulane Quits': Why did Green Wave leave SEC? Here's what happened". The Clarion-Ledger. Gannett. ISSN 0744-9526. OCLC 8674244. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Papillion, Jude (September 23, 2022). "Why Tulane left the SEC". Tulane Hullabaloo. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  8. ^ "2018 Media Guide" (PDF). tulanegreenwave.com. Tulane Athletics.
  9. ^ "2019 Tulane Football Media Guide" (pdf). Issuu. Issuu.inc. p. 124. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  10. ^ "2019 Tulane Football Media Guide" (pdf). Issuu. Issuu.inc. p. 124. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  11. ^ "2019 Tulane Football Media Guide" (pdf). Issuu. Issuu.inc. p. 124. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  12. ^ "2019 Tulane Football Media Guide" (pdf). Issuu.inc. July 11, 2019. pp. 124–125. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  13. ^ "2019 Tulane Football Media Guide" (pdf). Issuu.inc. July 11, 2019. p. 125. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  14. ^ "2019 Tulane Football Media Guide" (pdf). Issuu.inc. July 11, 2019. p. 125. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  15. ^ "2019 Tulane Football Media Guide" (pdf). Issuu.inc. July 11, 2019. p. 125. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Tulane Unveils Devlin Fieldhouse, the Newly Restored Facility for Basketball, Volleyball". TulaneGreenWave.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  17. ^ "Tulane Beach Volleyball History". tulanegreenwave.com. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  18. ^ "Men's Baseball Record Book" (PDF). C-USA. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  19. ^ "Men's Cross Country History/Records" (PDF). C-USA. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  20. ^ "Men's Tennis History/Records" (PDF). C-USA. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  21. ^ "Women's Basketball History/Records" (PDF). C-USA. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  22. ^ "C-USA Women's Golf Championships" (PDF). C-USA. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  23. ^ "Tulane Wins C-USA Women's Golf Championship With Record Score". C-USA. April 23, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  24. ^ "Tulane Claims 2022 American Women's Golf Championship, SMU's Kennedy Pedigo Wins The Individual Conference Title". American Athletic Conference. April 19, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  25. ^ "Women's Swimming & Diving History/Records" (PDF). C-USA. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  26. ^ "Women's Tennis History/Records" (PDF). C-USA. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  27. ^ "Women's Volleyball History/Records" (PDF). C-USA. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  28. ^ "NCAA All Divisions/Collegiate Total Championships" (PDF). NCAA. July 2, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  29. ^ Chad Wise (April 25, 2016). "Tulane wins Division II Spring Championship in California". USA Rugby. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  30. ^ "ICSA Championships". Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  31. ^ "CORNELIUS SHIELDS SR. TROPHY". Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  32. ^ "LEONARD M. FOWLE TROPHY". Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  33. ^ WDSU Digital Team (May 22, 2022). "Tulane Green Wave win sailing National Championship". WDSU. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  34. ^ Lockabey, Almon (November 2, 1969). "Skipper Dane Leads Tulane in Cup Match". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. D12.
  35. ^ Lockabey, Almon (October 30, 1970). "Collegiate Sailors Open Cup Races". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. III-11.
  36. ^ "Some Great Dane From Tulane". Sports Illustrated. November 9, 1970. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2009.
  37. ^ Minth, Ryan Eric (November 1989). "The Collegiate Report" (PDF). Telltale. Austin, Texas: Austin Yacht Club. p. 7. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  38. ^ "USNA SAILING CENTER - ICYRA Trophies". U.S. Naval Academy. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  39. ^ "NCAA Champions - Singles - Men". Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  40. ^ "Champions Crowned On Final Day Of 2015". Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  41. ^ "NCAA Champions - Doubles - Men". Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  42. ^ "NCAA Men's Golf Championship Individual Winners". About.com. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  43. ^ "Discontinued Championships" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  44. ^ "College Sailing National Championship". ICSA. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  45. ^ "The History of Tulane Stadium(s)". bestofneworleans.com. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  46. ^ "Greenie a gridiron giant". September 5, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  47. ^ "Tulane Athletics Branding & Style Guide".
  48. ^ "Tulane Athletics Fund". Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  49. ^ Hochman, Benjamin. "Tulane Chief Endures Green Wave of Criticism". Times Picayune. Retrieved June 1, 2003.
  50. ^ Thomas, Katie (October 7, 2008). "At Tulane, Sports Revival After Katrina's Wind and Water". New York Times. Retrieved October 10, 2008.
  51. ^ Chip Patterson (June 21, 2012). "Meet the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee". CBS Sports. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  52. ^ "Tulane Athletics and the Katrina Semester". tulanegreenwave.com. November 21, 2005. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  53. ^ Aaron Martin (January 18, 2006). "The Torch". Tulanian. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
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