Winthrop University

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Winthrop University


Motto	Veritas cum libertate Truth with liberty
Established	1886
Type	Public
President	Anthony J. DiGiorgio
Faculty	255
Undergraduates	5187
Postgraduates	1293
Location	Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA
Campus	Suburban
Colors	Garnet and Gold
Mascot	Eagles
Website	Home Page

Winthrop University (formerly Winthrop College) is an American public, four-year liberal arts college in Rock Hill, South Carolina, within the Charlotte, North Carolina metropolitan area. In 2005, Winthrop University had an enrollment of 6,480 students.

1 History
2 Notable Alumni
3 Athletics
4 External links

[edit] History

Winthrop was founded in 1886 in Columbia, SC by then superintendent David Bancroft Johnson as a teacher training college to help build the state school system in the aftermath of the American Civil War. The founding class of 21 women met in a one-room building in Columbia. In 1895, Winthrop moved and made its permanent home in Rock Hill. The name "Winthrop" comes from the man who made the first contribution of $1,500 - Massachusetts philanthropist Robert C. Winthrop; enough to rent the original one-room building. It was integrated in 1964 and became a co-ed institution in 1972. Winthrop has undergone several name changes through its history, Winthrop Training School, 1886, South Carolina Industrial and Winthrop Normal College in 1891, Winthrop Normal and Industrial College of South Carolina in 1894, Winthrop College (The South Carolina College for Women) in 1920, Winthrop College in 1974, and Winthrop University in 1992. While the school now has a large variety of majors, it is still widely known for the quality of teachers that train and get their degree there.

2006 Part of the film Asylum was filmed at Winthrop.

1999 Part of The Rage: Carrie 2 was filmed at Winthrop.

1991 Ronald Reagan visited Winthrop to see the Tau Kappa Epsilon chapter.

[edit] Notable Alumni

Martha Thomas Fitzgerald, first woman elected to South Carolina House of Representatives as a full-term legislator.
Dr. Mary Gaulden Jagger, one of the founding members of the National Organization for Women.
Reginald Lloyd, (1989), US District Attorney for South Carolina.
Cecily Truett Lencit, Emmy Award-winning educational television producer (Reading Rainbow).
Frances Patton Statham, historical and romance novelist.
Ida Crawford Stewart, former Vice-President of Estee Lauder Cosmetics.
Lois Rhame West, wife of former South Carolina Governor, John C. West.
Actress Andie MacDowell attended Winthrop in 1977 (as Winthrop College) but dropped out as a sophomore in 1978 to sign with Elite Model Management.

[edit] Athletics

Winthrop University athletic teams compete on the NCAA Division 1 level and are a member of the Big South Conference. Winthrop athletic teams are known by the nickname "Eagles". The teams' colors are garnet and gold. The athletic department offices are located in the 6,100-seat Winthrop Coliseum located 1 mile from the University's main campus.

The Winthrop University men's basketball team has earned a slot in the NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Tournament in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2007. They are coached by Gregg Marshall. They have also won the Big South Conference Championship title in 1988, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2006, the men's basketball team's season ended with a close loss to the University of Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. In 2007, Winthrop defeated Virginia Military Institute 84 to 81, clinching the Big South championship along with a NCAA bid. Winthrop men's basketball team made the Top 25 college basketball polls for the first time the week of March 5, 2007, placing #22 on the USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 poll and #24 on the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 poll. They were given a eleven seed in the 2007 Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and played Notre Dame. They beat Notre Dame to move on to a round two game against Oregon. Though they lost to Oregon, their performance against the Irish was considered a huge upset and a big win for the Eagles.

The men's baseball team has earned Big South Conference Titles in 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2005. They have earned a slot in the 1995, 1999, 2001, 2005 and 2006 NCAA Regionals.

The women's volleyball team has earned a slot in the NCAA Tournament in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. They were Big South Conference Tournament Champions in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.

The men's tennis team has earned the Big South Conference Titles in 1997, 2004, 2005, and 2006. They have earned a slot in the NCAA Tournament in 1997, 2004, 2005, and 2006.

The women's tennis team has earned the Big South Conference Titles 10 times in 13 years including 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. They have earned a slot in the NCAA Tournament in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.