Big Red (Lamar University)

Big Red
Big Red and Lu before the game
University	Lamar University
Conference	Southland
Description	Cardinal
Origin of name	John Gray
First seen	1932
Related mascot(s)	Lu

Big Red is the mascot of the sports teams at Lamar University, a Cardinal with Red plumage.

History

In 1932 South Park Junior College held a contest to determine a new school name. A new school name was needed because the school began serving students from across the region. When the contest results yielded the name Lamar College, John Gray: athletic director, football coach, and eventually university president changed the school mascot from the Brahamas to the Cardinals.^[1] Shortly after this change Big Red was born.^[2] Female character Lu joined in 2012.^[3]

References

^ "Lamar University News".
^ "LAMAR CARDINALS Official Athletic SiteTraditions". Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
^ "7 Questions With ... Big Red and Lu". beaumontenterprise.com. Retrieved March 14, 2024.

Lamar University
Academics	College of Business College of Arts and Sciences College of Education and Human Development College of Fine Arts and Communication College of Engineering TALH College of Graduate Studies
Athletics	Southland Conference Football Basketball (M) Basketball (W) Baseball Golf (M) Golf (W) Tennis (M) Tennis (W) Track (M) Track (W) Volleyball Soccer (W) Softball Facilities Provost Umphrey Stadium Montagne Center Vincent-Beck Stadium McDonald Gym Lamar Soccer Complex Lamar Softball Complex Thompson Family Tennis Center Ty Terrell Track Complex Dauphin Athletic Complex
Campus	Setzer Student Center Mary and John Gray Library The Quad Sheila Umphrey Center Cardinal Village Dishman Art Museum Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum
Student life	University Press Beaumont, Texas KVLU Students Downtown Beaumont
Misc.	Lamar University Literary Press List of Lamar University alumni History of Lamar University "Go Big Red" Alma Mater

Lamar Cardinals basketball
Venues	McDonald Gym (1958–1981) Beaumont Civic Center (1981–1984) Montagne Center (1984–present)
Rivalries	McNeese State
Culture & lore	Cardinal "Cardinals Fight!"
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25

Lamar Cardinals football
Venues	South Park High School "Greenie Stadium" (c. 1923–1963) Provost Umphrey Stadium (1964–present)
Bowls & rivalries	1961 Tangerine Bowl 1964 Pecan Bowl Louisiana: Sabine Shoe McNeese: Battle of the Border
Culture & lore	Cardinal "Cardinals Fight!" The Showcase of Southeast Texas
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990–2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025