Tennessee State (TSU) is the only HBCU in the Ohio Valley Conference and one of only (I believe) three DI HBCU schools outside of the SWAC or MEAC (NC A&T and Hampton are the other two and are both in the CAA). They were founded in 1912 in Nashville, TN as the Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal School, eventually changing their name to Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal College, Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State College, and then in 1968 they became Tennessee State University.
The school experience significant growth from 1943 to 1968 including construction of 70% of the school's facilities. TSU currently has approximately 8k students.
Significant non-football alumni include: U.L. Gooch (pilot, civil rights activist, and KS state senator), Oprah Winfrey, Dorothy J. Phillips (chemist and Director-at-Large of the American Chemical Society), and Dorthy McClendon (microbiologist).
Athletics
The Tennessee State Tigers and Lady Tigers play the following sports:
Men - Basketball, Football, Cross Country, Golf, Tennis, Track & Field
Women - Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball
TSU played in Division II until 1977, when they moved up to DI and played as an independent. They joined the OVC in '87/'88. Historically they were rivals with fellow HBCU Kentucky State (DII), but that rivalry has faded since the schools are in different divisions.
Football
TSU football had a HUGE amount of success under HC John Merritt from '63 to '83, going 174-35-7 overall, and winning the Black College National Championship in '65, '66, '70, '71, '73, '79, '81, and '82. They were also the DII AP and UPI national champions in 1973. They had also previously been the Black College National Champions in '46, '47, and '54 under coach Henry Kean, and in '56 under Howard C. Gentry. They made the I-AA/FCS playoffs in '81 and '82 (although those games were later voided), then again in '86, '98 and '99, and 2013.
Their current HC is former Heisman winner and NFL star Eddie George. He took over in 2021 and in his first two years has a 9-13 record at the helm. Last season, TSU went 4-7 overall and 2-3 in the OVC. The 2023 season will be quite notable though, because on 9/2/2023, TSU will be the first ever I-AA/FCS opponent for Notre Dame. TSU currently plays many of it's home games at Nissan Stadium, the home of the Tennessee Titans, and when the Titans new stadium is complete (estimated to be opened in 2026), the Tigers will move there as well. Additionally, TSU has a 15,000 seat on-campus field called Hale Stadium (https://tsutigers.com/facilities/hale-stadium/5), where they host a couple of games every year. Nissan Stadium is currently the largest "home stadium" of any FCS school.
Notable football alumni: NFL Hall of Famers Richard Dent and Claude Humphrey, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (11 seasons with the Cardinals, Eagles, Broncos, Giants, Raiders, and Redskins), Jim Thaxton (5 seasons with the Chargers, Browns, Saints, and Cardinals in the '70s), Mike Jones (7 seasons with the Vikings, Saints, Chiefs, Patriots, and Saints, as well as a long coaching career across a number of leagues, currently coaching WRs for the USFL's Birmingham Stallions), Larry Kinnebrew (7 seasons with the Bengals and Bills in the '80s), Steve Moore (5 seasons with the Patriots), and Malcolm Taylor (6 seasons with the Oilers, Raiders, and Falcons in the '80s).
WIU has never played Tennessee State in football.
Basketball
The TSU basketball teams play in the 9,100 seat Gentry Center on McClendon court (https://tsutigers.com/facilities/gentry-center/1), which was opened in 1980. Their men's team won the NAIA DI National Championship in '57, '58, and '59 under coach John McClendon, a member of the Basketball HOF and College Basketball HOF (and for whom the court is named).
They are led by HC Brian "Penny" Collins who is entering his 6th year at TSU. Last year, the Tigers went 18-14 overall and 10-8 in the OVC.
The Lady Tigers are led by HC Ty Evans, who is heading into his 4th year at the helm. Last year, the Lady Tigers went 11-18 overall and 7-11 against the OVC.
Neither the men's nor women's team have played against the Leathernecks (as near as I can tell).
Other Sports
Last Season for the Tigers/Lady Tigers:
Men's Tennis - 2-2 in OVC, 6-20 overall
Volleyball - 10-8 in OVC, 19-16 overall
Women's Tennis - 2-3 in OVC, 6-19 overall
Softball - 12-11 in OVC, 22-26-1 overall
Scott Lawson - Board Admin