The Houston Cougars are the athletic teams representing the University of Houston. Informally, the Houston Cougars have also been referred to as the Coogs, UH, or simply Houston. Houston's nickname was suggested by early physical education instructor of the university and former head football coach, John R. Bender after one of his former teams, Washington State later adopted the mascot and nickname. The teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and the Football Bowl Subdivision as members of the Big 12 Conference.
Houston Cougars football versus Air Force
Cougars softball players celebrate a home run during the 2011 NCAA Division I softball tournament
Fertitta Center
Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park
The University of Houston is a public research university in Houston, Texas. It was established in 1927 as Houston Junior College, one of multiple junior college institutions formed in the first decades of the 20th century. In 1934, HJC was restructured as a four-year degree-granting institution and renamed as the University of Houston. Today, Houston is the fourth-largest university in Texas, awarding 11,156 degrees in 2023. It has a worldwide alumni base of nearly 200,000.
UH held its first classes at San Jacinto High School in 1927
Built in 1939, the Roy G. Cullen Building is the first building on campus
University of Houston, circa 1950
A.D. Bruce Religion Center, named after the university's third president