# St. Mary's Rattlers

The St. Mary's Rattlers are the athletic teams that represent St. Mary's University, Texas, located in San Antonio, Texas, United States in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sporting competitions. The Rattlers compete as members of the Lone Star Conference for all 11 varsity sports. St. Mary's was a member of the Heartland Conference from 1999 to 2019.

## Sports sponsored

| Men's sports | Women's sports |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Golf |
| Golf | Soccer |
| Soccer | Softball |
| Tennis | Tennis |
| | Volleyball |

## History

Before St. Mary's was recognized as a senior college in 1925, there was no formal conference competition, so the rivalry between the downtown and Woodlawn campuses was fierce. St. Mary's was an all-male school for more than a century. Women's intercollegiate athletics, begun in 1968, have enjoyed many triumphs.

### Conference affiliations

| Conference | Years |
| Alamo Conference | 1936–1942 |
| Big State Conference | 1952–1987 |
| Heart of Texas Conference | 1988–1999 |
| NCAA Division II independent | 2000 |
| Heartland Conference | 2001–2019 |
| Lone Star Conference | 2020–present |

## Baseball

Interscholastic athletics competition began with baseball in 1902. The colorful history of St. Mary's athletics includes a stellar 1910 baseball team, which lost only to Ty Cobb's Detroit Tigers in an exhibition game, Records show the 1902 baseball team went 6–0, and the 1910 squad also went undefeated except for the aforementioned game against the Tigers. With the onset of the Depression, intercollegiate baseball disappeared only to be resurrected in 1947 by then-athletics director Brother Bill Siemer, S.M. Over the years, St. Mary's baseball has won local, regional and national fame. Accomplishments include 24 conference championships, four NAIA College World Series appearances and, most recently, the 2001 NCAA Division II conference, regional and national championships.

### Coaches

* Bill Siemer 1947-1953
* Eugene Gittinger 1954
* Jim Heiser 1955-1956
* Elmer Kosub 1957-1960, 1964-1986
* Mel Barborak 1961-1963
* Charlie Migl 1987-2021
* Chris Ermis 2022-present

## Basketball
### Men's basketball

St. Mary's men's basketball program also has enjoyed success over many years. In 1926, the school's first intercollegiate basketball team posted a 12–7 record. NAIA held district tournaments between 1951-1992. Conference championship tournaments supplanted them in 1993.
Heartland Conference Regular Season Champions 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015

### Record

Statistics overview :
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Independent (1925–1928) ||||||
| 1924-25 | James Clifford Edward Barrett | 7-4 | | | |
| 1925-26 | Tom O’Donnell | 13-6 | | | |
| 1926-27 | Tom O’Donnell | 11-9 | | | |
| 1927-28 | Tim Griesenbeck | 9-10 | | | |
| No Team (1928–29) ||||||
| Independent (1929–1931) ||||||
| 1929-30 | Barlow Irvin | 9-2 | | | |
| 1930-31 | Barlow Irvin | 8-6 | | | |
| No Team (1932–1935) ||||||
| Alamo Conference (1935–1942) ||||||
| 1935-36 | Frank Bridges | 5-10 | 2-6 | | |
| 1936-37 | Frank Bridges | 4-14 | 0-6 | | |
| 1937-38 | Frank Bridges | 3-10 | 0-4 | | |
| 1938-39 | Frank Bridges | 15-11 | 5-3 | T-1st | |
| 1939-40 | J.C. “Mose” Simms | 11-10 | 2-4 | | |
| 1940-41 | Sam Harshany | 14-7 | 5-3 | | |
| 1941-42 | Lloyd Russell | 5-4 | | | |
| No Team (1943–1946) ||||||
| Independent (1946–1951) ||||||
| 1946-47 | Br. Bill Siemer | 8-10 | | | |
| 1947-48 | Br. Bill Siemer | 10-8 | | | |
| 1948-49 | Br. Bill Siemer | 8+12 | | | |
| 1949-50 | Br. Bill Siemer | 11-15 | | | |
| 1950-51 | Br. Bill Siemer | 7-18 | | | |
| Big State Conference (1951–1978) ||||||
| 1951-52 | Br. Bill Siemer | 14-13 | 6-6 | | |
| 1952-53 | Br. Bill Siemer | 7-17 | 2-8 | | |
| 1953-54 | Br. Bill Siemer Br. Gene Gittinger | 12-15 | 3-7 | | |
| 1954-55 | Jim Heiser | 15-11 | 4-6 | | |
| 1955-56 | Jim Heiser | 10-14 | 3-7 | | |
| 1956-57 | Jim Heiser | 11-14 | 4-6 | | |
| 1957-58 | Jim Heiser | 18-8 | 7-3 | | |
| 1958-59 | Jim Heiser | 19-7 | 6-2 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1959-60 | Jim Heiser | 14-11 | 4-4 | | |
| 1960-61 | Mel Barborak | 11-15 | 2-6 | | |
| 1961-62 | Mel Barborak | 17-7 | 8-2 | | |
| 1962-63 | Mel Barborak | 7-16 | 4-4 | | |
| 1963-64 | Ed Messbarger | 22-9 | 8-2 | 1st | NAIA Tournament Elite Eight |
| 1964-65 | Ed Messbarger | 10-11 | 5-3 | | |
| 1965-66 | Ed Messbarger | 14-11 | 7-3 | | |
| 1966-67 | Ed Messbarger | 22-9 | 8-2 | 1st | NAIA Tournament Elite Eight |
| 1967-68 | Ed Messbarger | 18-11 | 10-0 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1968-69 | Ed Messbarger | 12-13 | 8-2 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1969-70 | Ed Messbarger | 20-5 | 10-0 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1970-71 | Ed Messbarger | 17-9 | 8-2 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1971-72 | Ed Messbarger | 17-12 | 10-2 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1972-73 | Ed Messbarger | 23-7 | 12-0 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1973-74 | Ed Messbarger | 24-9 | 11-1 | 1st | NAIA Tournament Final Four |
| 1974-75 | Ed Messbarger | 26-7 | 12-0 | 1st | NAIA Tournament Final Four |
| 1975-76 | Ed Messbarger | 22-6 | 10-2 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1976-77 | Ed Messbarger | 23-6 | 11-1 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1977-78 | Ed Messbarger | 16-10 | 8-2 | 1st | District IV semifinals |
| 1978-79 | Buddy Meyer | 19-8 | 9-1 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1979-80 | Buddy Meyer | 11-13 | 6-5 | | |
| 1980-81 | Buddy Meyer | 19-9 | 12-0 | 1st | NAIA tournament first round |
| 1981-82 | Buddy Meyer | 19-10 | 8-4 | 1st | NAIA Tournament Second Round |
| 1982-83 | Buddy Meyer | 26-7 | 10-0 | 1st | NAIA Tournament Second Round |
| 1983-84 | Buddy Meyer | 25-8 | 10-0 | 1st | NAIA Tournament Second Round |
| 1984-85 | Buddy Meyer | 22-7 | 9-1 | 1st | district IV finals |
| 1985-86 | Buddy Meyer | 16-12 | 8-2 | 1st | district IV finals |
| 1986-87 | Buddy Meyer | 27-5 | 9-1 | 1st | NAIA Tournament Second Round |
| 1987-88 | Buddy Meyer | 19-7 | 9-1 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1988-89 | Buddy Meyer | 28-5 | 9-1 | 1st | NAIA Tournament Champions |
| 1989-90 | Buddy Meyer | 21-9 | 9-1 | 1st | District IV finals |
| 1990-91 | Buddy Meyer | 21-9 | 8-2 | 1st | NAIA Tournament Second Round |
| 1991-92 | Buddy Meyer | 18-11 | 8-2 | 1st | District IV semifinals |
| 1992-93 | Buddy Meyer | 12-15 | 4-6 | | |
| 1993-94 | Buddy Meyer | 21-10 | 6-4 | | |
| 1994-95 | Buddy Meyer | 24-6 | 12-2 | | |
| 1995-96 | Buddy Meyer | 18-11 | 9-5 | 1st | NAIA Tournament First Round |
| 1996-97 | Buddy Meyer | 22-7 | 15-1 | 1st | NAIA Tournament First Round |
| 1997-98 | Buddy Meyer | 20-7 | 10-4 | 1st | NAIA Tournament First Round |
| 1998-99 | Buddy Meyer | 13-14 | 5-5 | | |
| Heartland Conference (1999–2015) ||||||
| 1999-2000 | Buddy Meyer | 16-11 | 7-3 | | |
| 2000-01 | Buddy Meyer | 20-8 | 9-3 | T-1 | NCAA Div II Tournament First Round |
| 2001-02 | Buddy Meyer | 11-15 | 2-8 | | |
| 2002-03 | Buddy Meyer | 17-13 | 10-2 | | NCAA Div II Tournament First Round |
| 2003-04 | Buddy Meyer | 19-10 | 9-3 | | NCAA Div II Tournament First Round |
| 2004-05 | Buddy Meyer | 23-7 | 11-1 | | NCAA Div II Tournament First Round |
| 2005-06 | Jim Zeleznak | 14-14 | 7-5 | | |
| 2006-07 | Jim Zeleznak | 19-9 | 8-4 | | |
| 2007-08 | Jim Zeleznak | 17-13 | 6-4 | T-2nd | NCAA Div II Tournament First Round |
| 2008-09 | Jim Zeleznak | 17-11 | 12-4 | | |
| 2009-10 | Jim Zeleznak | 17-13 | 10-6 | T-3rd | Heartland Conference tourney runner-up |
| 2010-11 | Jim Zeleznak | 15-12 | 7-5 | T-3rd | |
| 2011-12 | Jim Zeleznak | 19–9 | 11-4 | T-2nd | NCAA Div II Tournament First Round |
| 2012-13 | Jim Zeleznak | 23-8 | 9-5 | T-2nd | NCAA Div II Tournament Sweet 16 |
| 2013-14 | Jim Zeleznak | 19–9 | 12-6 | T-3rd | NCAA Div II Tournament First Round |
| 2014-15 | Jim Zeleznak | 20–10 | 15-5 | 1st | NCAA Div II Tournament First Round |
| 2015-16 | Jim Zeleznak | 10-19 | 6-14 | 9th | |
| 2016-17 | Jim Zeleznak | 12-18 | 8-10 | 7th | |
| 2017-18 | Jim Zeleznak | 7-21 | 3-13 | 9th | |
| 2018-19 | Jim Zeleznak | 12-17 | 4-12 | T-7th | |
| Lone Star Conference (2019–present) ||||||
| 2019-20 | Jim Zeleznak | 12-16 | 8-14 | 4th South div | |
| 2020-21 | Jim Zeleznak | 4-8 | 1-4 | 5th South div | |
| 2021-22 | Jim Zeleznak | 12-13 | 9-5 | T-4th | |
| Total: | Total: | | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||
    ^A. James Clifford went 1–2 and Edward Barret went 6-2 as head coaches, respectively.
    ^B. Br. Bill Siemer went 3-5 and Br. Gene Gittinger went 9-10 as head coaches, respectively.

### Women's basketball

The school hosted the NCAA Women's Division II Basketball Championship at the Bill Greehey Arena in 2009, 2012 and 2013.

### Record

Statistics overview :
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Heartland Conference (1999–2019) ||||||
| 2019–00 | Jeff Van Auken | 18-8 | | | |
| 2000–01 | Jeff Van Auken | 19-7 | 8-3 | | |
| 2001–02 | Paige Clawson | 26-3 | 10-0 | 1st | NCAA Div II sweet sixteen |
| 2002–03 | Paige Clawson | 22-7 | 8-2 | | NCAA Div II first round |
| 2003–04 | Paige Clawson | 17-11 | 9-3 | | |
| 2004–05 | Paige Clawson | 12-15 | 5-7 | | |
| 2005–06 | Paige Clawson | 17-13 | 8-4 | | |
| 2006–07 | Jason Martens | 12-16 | 5-5 | | |
| 2007–08 | Jason Martens | 25-5 | 14-0 | 1st | NCAA Div II first round |
| 2008–09 | Jason Martens | 24-6 | 12-2 | 1st | NCAA Div II first round |
| 2009–10 | Jason Martens | 22-8 | 11-3 | 2nd | NCAA Div II first round |
| 2010–11 | Jason Martens | 15-12 | 7-3 | 3rd | |
| 2011–12 | Jason Martens | 13-16 | 8-4 | 4th | |
| 2012–13 | Jason Martens | 22-7 | 10-2 | 2nd | NCAA Div II first round |
| 2013–14 | Jason Martens | 20-10 | 13-7 | T-3rd | NCAA Div II second round |
| 2014–15 | Jason Martens | 16-11 | 10-8 | 3rd | |
| 2015–16 | Jason Martens | 18-10 | 11-7 | 5th | |
| 2016–17 | Jason Martens | 21-7 | 12-4 | T-2nd | |
| 2017–18 | Jason Martens | 16-13 | 9-5 | 3rd | |
| 2018–19 | Jason Martens | 18-10 | 7-7 | T-3rd | |
| Lone Star Conference (2019–Present) ||||||
| 2019–20 | Jason Martens | 14-14 | 12-10 | 2nd South div | Lone Star Tournament quarterfinals |
| 2020–21 | Jason Martens | 6-9 | 6-8 | 2nd South div | |
| 2021–22 | Jason Martens | 3-25 | 2-14 | 17th | |
| Total: | Total: | | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||

## Golf

St. Mary's first individual national championship came in 2006, when Jamie Amoretti won the NCAA Division II Men's Golf title. The Men's Golf team would be named the Golf Coaches Association of America 2008–2009 Academic National Champions, a title which St. Mary's treats as a fifth team national championship.

## Football

In 1916, the football team was coached by future U.S. president Dwight Eisenhower. In 1939, both Collier's and Life magazines feature full-page spreads on the St. Mary's football team and their cross country trips in a ragged bus, the "Blue Goose". The team was disbanded due to World War II. Following the end of intercollegiate football at the start of World War II, there have been at least three attempts to revive full-contact sports on campus: a club football team in the early 1970s, a club rugby team in the early 1990s, and a Texas Rugby Union Collegiate Division III team formed in Fall 2010.

### Record

| Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing |
| No coach (Independent) (1909–1914) ||||||
| Unknown (Independent) (1914–1915) ||||||
| Dwight Eisenhower (Independent) (1916) ||||||
| 1916 | Dwight Eisenhower | | | |
| Tom O'Donnell (Independent) (1925) ||||||
| 1925 | Tom O'Donnell | | | |
| Paul Daily (Independent) (1926) ||||||
| 1926 | Paul Daily | 2-4-1 | | |
| Tim Griesenbeck (Independent) (1927) ||||||
| 1927 | Tim Griesenbeck | | | |
| Jim Kendrick (Independent) (1928) ||||||
| 1928 | Jim Kendrick | | | |
| Barlow Irvin (Independent) (1929–1930) ||||||
| 1929 | Barlow Irvin | 8-1 | | |
| 1930 | Barlow Irvin | | | |
| No school team (club level) (1931–1934) ||||||
| Frank Bridges (Independent) (1935) ||||||
| 1935 | Frank Bridges | 6–4–1 | | |
| Frank Bridges (Alamo Conference) (1936–1939) ||||||
| 1936 | Frank Bridges | 7–3–2 | 1–1 | T–1st |
| 1937 | Frank Bridges | 7–2–2 | 1–0–1 | T–1st |
| 1938 | Frank Bridges | 6–9 | 0–2 | 3rd |
| 1939 | Frank Bridges | 5–4–2 | 1–2 | 3rd |
| Frank Bridges: | Frank Bridges: | 31–22–7 | 3–5–1 | |
| Mose Simms (Alamo Conference) (1940) ||||||
| 1940 | Mose Simms | 4-6-1 | 0-2 | 3rd |
| Lloyd Russell (Alamo Conference) (1941) ||||||
| 1941 | Lloyd Russell | 7-4-1 | 0-1 | 2nd |
| Total: | Total: | | | |
| National championship  Conference title  Conference division title or championship game berth ||||||

## Softball

The softball team has led the way, winning several conference titles, playing in the NAIA and NCAA Division II national tournaments, and winning the 1986 NAIA National Championship and the 2002 Division II National Championship.

## Athletics honors

Basketball head coach and athletics director Herman A “Buddy” Meyer has also been inducted into the Heartland Conference Hall of Fame.

## National championships

St. Mary's has won four team national championships in men's basketball (1989), baseball (2001), softball (1986 and 2002), and one individual national title in men's golf (2006).

### Team (4)

| Association | Division | Sport | Year | Opponent | Score |
| NAIA | Division I | Softball | 1986 | Oklahoma City | 2-1 |
| NAIA | Division I | Basketball | 1989 | East Central | 61-58 |
| NCAA | Division II | Baseball | 2001 | Central Missouri State | 11–3 |
| NCAA | Division II | Softball | 2002 | Grand Valley State (Mich.) | 4-0 |

### Individual (1)

| Association | Division | Sport | Year | Individual(s) | Event |
| NCAA | Division II | Men's Golf | 2006 | Jamie Amoretti | Individual Title |

## Facilities

| Facility | Sport(s) | Capacity |
| Bill Greehey Arena | Basketball, Volleyball | 3,800 |
| Dickson Stadium | Baseball | 2,260 (plus berm seating) |
| Sigma Beta Chi Field | Soccer | 550 (plus portable seating) |
| Rohrbach Stadium Tennis Complex | Tennis | 435 (plus portable seating) |
| Softball stadium | Softball | 900 (plus berm seating) |

## Mascot

The Rattler mascot has its own stories of how it came to be. Legend holds that the football practice field had to be cleared of diamondback rattlesnakes on a regular basis, thus leading to the designation. The truth is that Brother Kinsky thought “Rattlers” would be fitting because there was already on campus Rattler Club whose members had recently begun The Rattler newspaper. There was debate as to whether the name was being run into the ground, but the students quickly said they wanted the Rattler nickname.
Alton Seekatz (B.S.C. ’32), a member of the Rattler Club, described the organization as a spirit and social organization. “It was called the Rattler Club when I got here in 1926, and I’m not sure how it got its nickname,” he said, although his stories of the club members' antics and efforts to raise school spirit would certainly “rattle” some and “shake” up others.