Baseball
Conference Titles: 2007, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1993, 1989, 1987 National Titles: 1992, 1993, 1998, 2006, 2007 Notable Players: Tino Martinez, Lou Pinella, Sam Militello, Ozzie Timmons, Mike Rabelo
Rundown: Spartan baseball has a rich history in Tampa. With five national titles, baseball is significantly ahead of all other sports at UT.
A number of Spartans have gone pro, including two-time All Star Tino Martinez and current Cubs manager Lou Pinella. Ozzie Timmons played for four different teams from 1995-2000 and amassed a .235 career batting average. He left UT in 1991 after a successful four year career.
Sam Militello is one of three former Spartans to have their numbers retired. Militello was the D-II pitcher of the year in 1990 and is currently the Spartans’ pitching coach.
Men’s Soccer Overall Record: 116-39-9 Conference Titles: 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001 National Titles: 1981, 1994, 2001 Notable Players: Adrian Bush, Justin Throneburg
Rundown: Despite winning a national championship six years ago, the men’s soccer program has failed to put together a strong playoff run in recent years.
After a long run of dominance, which included six conference titles during the 1980s, the men’s soccer program is looking to regain control of the Sunshine State Conference.
UT Hall of Fame member Adrian Bush will be leading the team in his third year as head coach this season. Bush was the 1994 National Player of the Year with the Spartans and enjoyed stints with four different professional soccer teams.
Men’s Basketball: Overall Record: 689-514 Conference Titles: 2002, 1998, 1994, 1993, 1990, 1989, 1986, 1985 National Titles: None Notable Players: Mark Borders, Nate Johnston, Decarlo DeVeaux
Rundown: The Spartans have had many great individual players in school history, most recently All-American Mark Borders. The 2006 graduate signed a professional contract and is now playing in Turkey.
Nate Johnston, the only player in UT history to score 1,000 points and record 1,000 rebounds, is the only former Spartan to play in the NBA. Johnston played for the Portland Trail Blazers
The Spartans have one of the more famous Divison II coaches in Richard Schmidt. He is known for his fire and his excellence in coaching.
Schmidt won his 500th career game at UT last season.
Women’s Basketball Overall Record: 210-141 Conference Titles: 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007 National Titles: None Notable Players: Linda Hadfield-Catanach, Jackie Langley-Driscoll
Rundown: The Spartans have enjoyed unprecedent success in the past few years, winning the SSC tournament in 2006 and 2007.
Tampa is 1-5 in NCAA tournament play and has appeared in the Big Dance each of the last two years.
Linda Hadfield-Catanach and Jackie Langley-Driscoll are the only players in UT women’s basketball history to have their jerseys retired. Both are in the UT Hall of Fame.
Women’s Soccer Overall Record: 112-52-8 Conference Titles: 2006, 2005 National Titles: None Notable Players: Melanie Moody, Katie Calvin, Emma Calsson, Jade Berbert, Ginger Lynn
Rundown: Tampa women’s soccer is in its 10th season. Gerry Lucey is the team’s fifth coach, following Bobby Johnston, Jay Entlich and George Fotopoulos.
Under coach Johnston, who left after the 2006 season, the Spartans went to the NCAA tournament four straight years, reaching the program’s first Final Four in 2006. New coach Gerry Lucey returns to a team he coached as an assistant in 2005.
Softball Overall Record: 415-421 Conference Title: 2001 National Titles: None Notable Players: Kristen Law, Kisha Robinson, Julia Pacatte
Rundown: The softball team bounced back in 2007 from a rough 19-31 2006 season. Tampa went 29-20 last season. Head coach Leslie Kanter has a 291-294 record in 18 seasons at UT. Look for the Spartans to use the success of the 2007 season to propel them into 2008.
Volleyball Overall Record: 778-182 Conference Titles: 2006, 2005, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1992, 1991, 1988, 1987, 1985, 1983 National Titles: 2006 Notable Players: Stephanie Rivera, Ania Ruiz, Danielle Faggion, Linda Hadfield, Erica Womack
Rundown: The volleyball team reached a new high in 2006 as the team captured a National Championship. Volleyball leads all UT sports with 16 conference titles.
A total of 33 Spartan players have been named volleyball All-Americans.
Senior Margeaux Sinibaldi is likely to set the SSC record for career digs this season which is currently 1,814.
The Spartans’ biggest rival is Florida Southern.
Football: Although the program folded in 1974, the Spartan football team enjoyed great success during its existence.
Tampa had a number of players drafted into the NFL, including Freddie Solomon, who is widely regarded as the best UT football player of all time. Solomon was drafted in 1975 and played 11 seasons with the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers.
Solomon set an NCAA record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season, racking up 1300 yards and 19 touchdowns. He finished 12th in the voting for the Heisman Trophy in 1974.
John Matuszak was a 1972 All-American and was selected first overall in the 1973 NFL draft. He played 123 games. Matuszak is widely known for playing the role of Sloth in the 1985 movie, “The Goonies.”
The program was cancelled in 1974 due to a lack of funding. Many conspiracy theorists blame the Buccaneers for pushing UT football out of town, but it was ultimately the decision of the Board of Trustees to cancel the program. There are no public plans to have a football team at UT in the near future.