North Texas Mean Green
Encyclopedia
North Texas Mean Green is the team name used for both men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the University of North Texas
in Denton, Texas
.
The University of North Texas Athletics competes as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) and the Sun Belt Conference
. All athletic programs at North Texas are classified as NCAA Division I. North Texas athletes are also known as the “Mean Green” or, alternately, the “Eagles.”
. That school year, Joe Greene
, then a sophomore at North Texas, played left defensive tackle on the football team and competed in track and field
(shot put
). As of 2011, Greene is the only football player from UNT to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
. Hayden Fry
is the only UNT coach to be inducted.
The nickname "Mean Joe Greene" caught-on during his first year with the Pittsburgh Steelers
in 1969 when the fan base mistakenly assumed that “Mean Green” (a nickname for defensive squad of his alma mater
) was derived from a nickname they thought he had inherited while at North Texas. Nonetheless, the athletic department, media, and fans loved the novelty of a young standout's surname being a homophone
of the university's school color. The first known local media reference to the phrase “Mean Green” appeared in the Denton Record-Chronicle
, November 20, 1966, Sect. 3 (Sports), col. 1, pg 1., "It Was Perfect: 42 for 42," by Charles Clines. By 1968, “Mean Green” was on the back of shirts, buttons, bumper stickers, and the cover of the North Texas football football brochure. Even the band, in 1968, became identified as the “Mean Green Marching Machine.”
of the NCAA's Division I-A.
(1905–1989) in 1919 and adopted by the school in 1922. The lyrics are were written by Charles Langford, then a third year letterman on the football team and an outstanding overall athlete. The University's fight song, composed in 1939 by Francis Stroup, was adopted that same year. The school mascot is an Eagle named Scrappy.
championships, five Gulf Coast Conference
championships, five Missouri Valley Conference
championships, two Southland Conference
championships and most recently, four consecutive Sun Belt Conference championships. The team also appeared in a total of 7 bowl games, winning two, most recently the New Orleans Bowl
in 2002.
Since 1952, home football games have been played at Fouts Field
, a stadium with a current capacity of 30,500. A new 30,850-seat stadium, Mean Green Stadium opened for the 2011 season.
. During the 2006-2007 season, North Texas won its first ever Sun Belt Conference title and advanced for the first time since 1988 to the NCAA Tournament. Only three of the state's 20 Division I teams more wins than North Texas’ 23 in 2006-07 -
Texas
, Texas A&M
and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. North Texas won the Sun Belt Conference title a second time during the 2009-10 season to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in four years.
Since 1973, the team has played its home games in the Super Pit
. The 10,032 seat arena is the second toughest venue to win at in the Sun Belt, only behind Western Kentucky
.
, which opened for the 2006-07 athletic season.
Mean Green Village:
Mean Green Stadium: Football
UNT Coliseum: Men's & Woman's Basketball
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
in Denton, Texas
Denton, Texas
The city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
.
The University of North Texas Athletics competes as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) and the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
. All athletic programs at North Texas are classified as NCAA Division I. North Texas athletes are also known as the “Mean Green” or, alternately, the “Eagles.”
Origin of the name “Mean Green”
The name “Mean Green,” still in use after years, was adopted by fans and media in 1966 for a North Texas football defensive squad that finished the season second in the nation against the rushRush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
. That school year, Joe Greene
Joe Greene (American football)
Charles Edward Greene, known as “Mean Joe” Greene, is a former all-pro American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Throughout the early 1970s he was the one of most dominant defensive players in the National Football League...
, then a sophomore at North Texas, played left defensive tackle on the football team and competed in track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
(shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
). As of 2011, Greene is the only football player from UNT to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. Hayden Fry
Hayden Fry
John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...
is the only UNT coach to be inducted.
The nickname "Mean Joe Greene" caught-on during his first year with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in 1969 when the fan base mistakenly assumed that “Mean Green” (a nickname for defensive squad of his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
) was derived from a nickname they thought he had inherited while at North Texas. Nonetheless, the athletic department, media, and fans loved the novelty of a young standout's surname being a homophone
Homophone
A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose and rose , or differently, such as carat, caret, and carrot, or to, two, and too. Homophones that are spelled the same are also both homographs and homonyms...
of the university's school color. The first known local media reference to the phrase “Mean Green” appeared in the Denton Record-Chronicle
Denton Record-Chronicle
The Denton Record-Chronicle is the official newspaper for the city of Denton, Texas and Denton County since 1899.William Edwards consolidated the Denton Chronicle and the Denton County Record , as a weekly newspaper. It wasn't until August 3, 1903 that the paper was published daily...
, November 20, 1966, Sect. 3 (Sports), col. 1, pg 1., "It Was Perfect: 42 for 42," by Charles Clines. By 1968, “Mean Green” was on the back of shirts, buttons, bumper stickers, and the cover of the North Texas football football brochure. Even the band, in 1968, became identified as the “Mean Green Marching Machine.”
Varsity sports
North Texas competes in the Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
of the NCAA's Division I-A.
School spirit
The school's colors are Green and White. The music for the alma mater, Glory to the Green and White, (originally titled Our College) was composed by Julia SmithJulia Smith (composer)
Julia Frances Smith, PhD , was an American composer, pianist, and author on musicology.-Life and career:...
(1905–1989) in 1919 and adopted by the school in 1922. The lyrics are were written by Charles Langford, then a third year letterman on the football team and an outstanding overall athlete. The University's fight song, composed in 1939 by Francis Stroup, was adopted that same year. The school mascot is an Eagle named Scrappy.
Football
Founded in 1913, the Mean Green has won eight Lone Star ConferenceLone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...
championships, five Gulf Coast Conference
Gulf Coast Conference
The Gulf Coast Conference was a short-lived NCAA college athletic conference in the U.S. State of Texas from 1949 until 1957. The charter members of the conference were University of Houston, Midwestern University , North Texas State University , and Trinity University...
championships, five Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
championships, two Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
championships and most recently, four consecutive Sun Belt Conference championships. The team also appeared in a total of 7 bowl games, winning two, most recently the New Orleans Bowl
New Orleans Bowl
The New Orleans Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana since 2001. The game was sponsored by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts from 2002 to 2004 and was officially called the Wyndham New...
in 2002.
Since 1952, home football games have been played at Fouts Field
Fouts Field
Fouts Field is the former stadium of the University of North Texas, located in Denton, Texas, United States. It was primarily used for football, and was the home field of the University of North Texas Eagles, also known as the Mean Green from 1952-2010...
, a stadium with a current capacity of 30,500. A new 30,850-seat stadium, Mean Green Stadium opened for the 2011 season.
Men's basketball
Despite in the past not having a significant or powerful men's basketball program, North Texas has recently experienced success under head coach Johnny JonesJohnny Jones (coach)
Johnny Jones is the head men's basketball coach at the University of North Texas. He previously served as the interim head coach at the University of Memphis...
. During the 2006-2007 season, North Texas won its first ever Sun Belt Conference title and advanced for the first time since 1988 to the NCAA Tournament. Only three of the state's 20 Division I teams more wins than North Texas’ 23 in 2006-07 -
Texas
Texas Longhorns men's basketball
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference....
, Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball
The Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team represents Texas A&M University in NCAA Division I college basketball. The Aggies play home games at Reed Arena, a 12,500-capacity arena in College Station, Texas on the campus of Texas A&M University....
and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. North Texas won the Sun Belt Conference title a second time during the 2009-10 season to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in four years.
Since 1973, the team has played its home games in the Super Pit
Super Pit
The UNT Coliseum, informally known as the Super Pit, is a 10,040-seat multi-purpose arena in Denton, Texas. It was built in 1973. It is home to the North Texas Mean Green men's and women's basketball teams...
. The 10,032 seat arena is the second toughest venue to win at in the Sun Belt, only behind Western Kentucky
Women's basketball
Despite the most successful period in North Texas women's basketball history, the school did not renew coach Tina Slinker's contract at the end of the 2007–08 season. Shanice Stephens was officially hired as the new head coach on April 16, 2008 after serving the last three years as an Assistant Coach at ClemsonClemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers are any team that represents Clemson University as a member of the NCAA's Division I or in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference....
.
National Titles
- UNT Paintball (2)
- 2009, 2011
- Men's Golf (4)
- 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952
- Cheerleading (2)
- 2000, 2002
Conference Titles
- Football (24)
- Lone Star ConferenceLone Star ConferenceThe Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...
- 1932, 1935*, 1936, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1946, 1947
- Gulf Coast ConferenceGulf Coast ConferenceThe Gulf Coast Conference was a short-lived NCAA college athletic conference in the U.S. State of Texas from 1949 until 1957. The charter members of the conference were University of Houston, Midwestern University , North Texas State University , and Trinity University...
- 1950, 1951, 1952, 1955, 1956
- Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
- 1958, 1959*, 1966*, 1967, 1973*
- Southland ConferenceSouthland ConferenceThe Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
- 1983*, 1994
- Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceThe Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
- 2001*, 2002, 2003, 2004
- Men's Basketball (2)
- Southland ConferenceSouthland ConferenceThe Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
- Tournament: 1988
- Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceThe Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
- Tournament: 2007, 2010
- Men's Outdoor Track and Field (2)
- Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceThe Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
- 2000, 2003
- Men's Cross Country (1)
- Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceThe Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
- 2000
- Men's Golf (1)
- Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceThe Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
- 2003
- Women's Soccer (3)
- Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceThe Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
- 2001, 2004, 2005
- Women's Outdoor Track and Field (1)
- Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceThe Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
- 2003
- Volleyball (1)
- Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceThe Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
- 2010*
- * denotes shared conference title
Division titles
- Men's Basketball (1)
- Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceThe Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
(West Division)- 2009-10
Facilities
All athletic teams have on-campus facilities for competition. Most of these facilities are located at the Mean Green VillageMean Green Village
Mean Green Village is the name of the athletic village on campus of the University of North Texas . Mean Green Village is built on the site of the former Eagle Point Golf Course, adjacent to the main campus...
, which opened for the 2006-07 athletic season.
Mean Green Village:
- North Texas Soccer Field: Soccer
- Warnach Tennis Pavilion: Tennis
- Lovelace Stadium: Softball
- Mean Green Volleyball Center: Volleyball
- North Texas Softball And Golf Practice Facility: Golf, Softball Practice
Mean Green Stadium: Football
UNT Coliseum: Men's & Woman's Basketball