The Liberty Flames are headed to Conference USA where the Flames will compete as all-sports members beginning with the 2023-24 athletic season. Over the next several days, we will be profiling each member of C-USA as we all get to know Liberty’s new home a little better. Today, we begin with a look at the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.
LOUISIANA TECH
Location: Ruston, Louisiana
Mascot: Bulldogs
Distance to Lynchburg: 943 miles
Enrollment: 8,192
TV market: No. 86 in US (Shreveport, LA)
Joined CUSA: 2013
CUSA football championships: N/A, West Division Champs 2014, 2016, 2019
Coach: Skip Holtz
Stadium: Joe Aillet Stadium
Capacity: 28,562
After 12 seasons in the WAC, Louisiana Tech began competing in Conference USA in 2013. Since then, the Bulldogs have won their last 6 consecutive bowl games before falling in the 2020 New Orleans Bowl. During their 118 football seasons, Louisiana Tech has won three Division II national championships, 25 conference championships, and competed in 13 bowl games.
Skip Holtz has been Louisiana Tech’s head coach since prior to the 2013 season. He has led the program to seven consecutive bowl games with three 9-win seasons and a high mark of 10-3 in 2019 and a win in the Independence Bowl.
On the hardwood, Louisiana Tech reached the Sweet Sixteen in 1985 but has not returned to the Big Dance since 1991. The Bulldogs have been to the NIT on 10 different occasions including trips in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2021 when they finished third place in the postseason tournament. Under head coach Eric Konkol, Louisiana Tech has won 20 or more games in five of the last six seasons including a 24-8 mark last year.
Under head coach Lane Burroughs, Louisiana Tech has had one of the better baseball teams in C-USA in recent seasons, winning at least 34 games in each of the past four seasons not counting the shortened 2020 campaign due to COVID. Last season, the Bulldogs finished 42-20 overall and 22-8 in conference play, advancing to NCAA Regional play where they picked up wins over Rider and Alabama before falling to NC State in the Regional Final.
