Browse Exhibits

The Trinity swim team has been nationally recognized for producing many swimmers who compete at a national level. This exhibit hopes to bring to light some of these individuals who have helped make the swim team what it is today, and how the team culture is an important aspect of the team's accomplishments. 

This Exhibit is a spotlight on the Trinity University golf program, both men and women focusing on the found succeess under Carla Spenkoch from 1997-2005 for the Men's program and from 1997-2016 for the women's program.

Marvin Allen Upshaw was born on November 22^nd, 1946 in Robstown, Texas; a town nearly two hours south of San Antonio (Hall of Fame, 2001). When it came time for Upshaw to make a college decision nearly eighteen years later, Upshaw decided to take his talents to the one and only Trinity University in the fall of 1964. 

Looking into the inequality of finances between mens and women's athletics at Trinity University during the implementation of Title IX

“…It is for that daring soul who is tired of American football and wants something more demanding and exciting” (Woodruff, 1974).  Those were the words of Chuck Butterick, president of the 1974 Trinity University Rugby team, expressing his attitudes about the sport.  Just that year, the “Ruggers” from Trinity won their division, beating a strong Austin team, and finished second in the state behind the Dallas Harlequins, making them one of the single most successful rugby teams of Trinity’s History.  Rewind to April of 1968.  The makeshift Trinity University rugby team, made up of an assortment of athletes who had little to no experience playing the sport, were facing the experienced, English influenced University of Texas team on their very own E.M. Stevens field.  Not only was this Trinity’s first attempt at rugby in over forty years, but according to the 1968 edition of Trinity’s school newspaper, the Trinitonian, this was “the first English football match ever played in San Antonio” (Corbitt, 1968).  13-11, Trinity comes out on top.

            Having reminisced of successful moments in the history of Trinity rugby like those previously mentioned, it would not be out of the ordinary to question the sport’s lacking presence at Trinity today.  Alternatively, a better question might be: what made rugby a popular phenomenon at Trinity in its prime years? To answer this, and in order to fully appreciate rugby’s presence at Trinity, we will take a stroll through the history of rugby at Trinity beginning in the 1960’s and ending in the early 1990’s.  The construction of this exhibit will not only present the high points of rugby at Trinity, it will also discuss why the sport was popular at Trinity during those years, drawing on societal issues and events that most likely influenced students’ interest in the game. 

This exhibit will take you through the history of Trinity tennis starting at its first National Championship. It will explore the transition from Division I to Division III and conclude with a summary of the program up until the present.

“‘I’ve never heard my name chanted before, and when I won, it was the greatest feeling I’ve ever had on tennis court’” (Neyland, 1978, p. 10). Star Trinity tennis player Larry Gottfried explained his emotions after a monumental win over Wimbledon semi-finalist and freshman, Stanford standout John McEnroe (Neyland, 1978, p. 10). The two played at the number one singles spot after Stanford swept the doubles winning all three matches (Spaeth, 1978, p. 6). The history of Trinity tennis is full of standout players and championship teams, and this match is just one example of the dynasty that this Division I Trinity tennis program built.