Traditions of Louisiana Tech University
The most notable visible tradition among current students and university alumni is the Lady of the Mist statue and fountain that was constructed in the middle of the Quadrangle in 1938.
Tech XXII, the university's official mascot, is present at all football games and most sporting events and special ceremonies.
The sculpture sits in the midst of a fountain in the middle of the quadrangle (The Quad), one of the focal points of the university and part of the older section of the Main Campus.
[1] The Lady of the Mist symbolizes "Alma Mater" who welcomes new students and bids farewell to Tech graduates.
The statue also symbolizes the hope that Louisiana Tech graduates will fulfill their ambitions and highest callings in life.
The statue and fountain was funded in 1938 by the Women's Panhellenic Association of Ruston, the governing body of the university's sorority groups.
This was done to welcome everyone to the campus as people looked through the North entrance columns to see the statue's open arms waiting to greet them.
[4] The Lady of the Mist has played an integral part in Louisiana Tech's First-Year Experience Academic Convocation since the first ceremony was held in 2007.
During the Academic Convocation, the freshmen students are introduced to President Leslie K. Guice, university administrators, and distinguished alumni.
When the freshmen students reach the Lady of the Mist, they deposit the medallions into the fountain as a symbol of their own investment in themselves and Louisiana Tech.
With tears in their eyes, the young men picked up the lifeless body, and without saying a word, began to walk back to the campus.
A year after the death of the bulldog, Tech began making plans to start its first football team and needed a mascot.
Questions about the events long ago will always exist, but be assured that somewhere on the Tech campus are the remains of a brave old bulldog.
A 1986 Sports Illustrated article stated, "A Lady Techster is likely to be a good student and a devout Christian, probably favors needlepoint over Madonna tapes on airplanes and fears a drug test about as much as she does an airport metal detector."
In what was the nation's 11th toughest schedule that year, the Bulldogs faced five I-A bowl teams including Houston, Florida State and Texas A&M.
Those experiences likely played a key role in Tech finishing 5-4-1 the following year, its first in Division I-A, and then 8-3-1 in 1990 and an Independence Bowl berth.
The Bulldogs eventually reeled off 18 consecutive home victories, tying the all-time stadium record set by head coach Maxie Lambright's great teams of the early 1970s.
The endings to three of the biggest wins in school history have taken place in the south endzone ... almost as if the Spirit of '88 willed the Bulldogs to victory.
In 1990, only Louisiana Tech's second season in the Division I-A ranks, the Bulldogs trailed Colorado State 30-14 late in the third quarter and their bowl hopes looked bleak.
However, 17 unanswered points later, Tech had rallied for a 31–30 win over the bowl-bound Rams to earn their own Independence Bowl berth.
The winning touchdown pass from Gene Johnson to Bobby Slaughter in the final minutes came fittingly in the south end zone, just in front of the Spirit of '88.
Eleven years later, Tech clinched a share of its first Western Athletic Conference title with a 48–42 win over Boise State at Joe Aillet Stadium.
Some might say it's a coincidence that the two biggest wins in the program's Division I-A history had been decided in the south end zone under the watchful eyes of the Spirit of '88.
Two plays later, Ryan Moats gave Tech a 28–21 lead and the eventual win as he rushed eight yards to the right corner of the south end zone.
In addition, sports bras did not exist in 1974, and Hogg did not want spectators to see her ladies' bra straps hanging out of sleeveless jerseys either.
After Barmore retired in 2002, new head coach Kurt Budke introduced the first Lady Techsters sleeveless jerseys at the behest of the players.
