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East Carolina Pirates
Current season:
AmericanFootball current event 2025 East Carolina Pirates
NCAA-AAC-ECU Pirates logo NCAA-AAC-ECU Pirates Purple Helmet-purple facemask
First season 1932
Athletic director Jon Gilbert
Head coach Mike Houston
5th year, 24–34 (.414)
Home stadium Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
Field Bagwell Field
Year built 1963
Stadium capacity 51,000
Stadium surface Tifton 419 Hybrid Bermuda
Location Greenville, North Carolina
Conference American Athletic Conference (AAC)
Past conferences Independent (1932–1946)
North State (1947–1961)
Independent (1962–1964)
Southern (1965–1976)
Independent (1977–1996)
C-USA (1997–2013)
AAC (2013–present)
All-time history
East Carolina Pirates Historical Teams
1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
All-time record 461–454–12 (.504)
Postseason bowl record 10–11 (.476)
Conference titles 7 (1953, 1966, 1972, 1973, 1976, 2008, 2009)
Division titles 3 (2008, 2009, 2012)
Rivalries Marshal
North Carolina State (rivalry)
Appalachian State
Army
Central Florida
Consensus All-Americans 3
Current uniform
NCAA-AAC-ECU Pirates uniforms
Colors Purple and Gold

             


Fight song E.C. Victory
Mascot PeeDee the Pirate
Marching band The Marching Pirates
Outfitter Adidas
Website ecupirates.com

The East Carolina Pirates football team represents East Carolina University located in Greenville, North Carolina. The Pirates are a member of the NCAA FBS American Athletic Conference, having previously been a member of Conference USA. The Pirates play their home games at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville and are currently coached by Mike Houston.

Team history[]

The Pirates have won seven conference championships and ten bowl games. The Pirates have 20 All-Americans over their history. Four players have their jerseys retired. Numerous Pirates have played in the NFL, including ten current players.

The team played its inaugural season in 1932. The first football coach in school history was Kenneth Beatty.[1] They played under the nickname Teachers because the school was a teacher training school. The team played five games, with two in Greenville. They however did not score a point the whole season, while opponents scored a combined 187 points.[2] The 1933 season started just as they left the 1932 season. The team lost the first four games not scoring a point. The first victory in school history came against Campbell on November 11, 1933. The final score was 6–0. The 1933 team lost their final game against Appalachian St. 14–0. Coach Beatty left after the season.[3] G.L. "Doc" Mathis was appointed the head coach after Coach Beatty left.[1] Before the season, the school decided to change their nickname. The Men's Athletic Association wanted a nickname to inspire "more spirit and enthusiasm." The name was changed from the Teachers to the present Pirates.[4] His first year, the team lost four games. But, they did win against Presbyterian Junior College and tied Old Dominion.[3] The 1935 season included three wins, which was the largest total so far in history. Coach Mathis left after the season.[5] The team played home games at College Stadium on the main campus from the 1949 to the 1962 season. With the exception of the 1999 Miami football game, they have played their home games at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium every year since 1963. The stadium is located south of East Carolina's main campus near the intersection of South Charles Boulevard and 14th Street. Dowdy-Ficklen underwent an expansion in 2010, raising the capacity of the stadium to 50,000. The Pirates announced a $55 million renovation project to Dowdy-Ficklen in 2016, which added a new tower above the south side stands, among other things.

The coaches and administrative support is located in the Ward Sports Medicine Building, which is located adjacent to the stadium. Strength and conditioning for the players occurs in the Murphy Center, a $13 million indoor training facility which was completed in June 2002 and which is located in the west end zone of Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium. The Pirates also practice and train at the Cliff Moore Practice Facility, which was fully renovated in 2005 and which has two full-length NFL-caliber fields.

Logos / Uniforms[]

Image gallery[]

Conference affiliations[]

  • Independent (1932–1946)
  • North State Conference (1947–1961)
  • Independent (1962–1964)
  • Southern Conference (1965–1976)
  • 1977-1996 - NCAA 1-A independent
  • 1997-2013 - Conference USA
  • 2014-present - American Athletic Conference

Seasons[]

2020s[]

Season Coach Record
2024 Mike Houston; Blake Harrell 8-5
2023 Mike Houston 2-10
2022 Mike Houston 8-5
2021 Mike Houston 7-5
2020 Mike Houston 3-6

2010s[]

Season Coach Record
2019 Mike Houston 4-8
2018 Scottie Montgomery; David Blackwell 3-9
2017 Scottie Montgomery 3-9
2016 Scottie Montgomery 3-9
2015 Ruffin McNeil 5-7
2014 Ruffin McNeil 8-5
2013 Ruffin McNeil 10-3
2012 Ruffin McNeil 8-5
2011 Ruffin McNeil 5-7
2010 Ruffin McNeil 6-7

2000s[]

Season Coach Record
2009 Skip Holtz 9-5
2008 Skip Holtz 9-5
2007 Skip Holtz 8-5
2006 Skip Holtz 7-6
2005 Skip Holtz 5-6
2004 John Thompson 2-9
2003 John Thompson 1-11
2002 Steve Logan 4-8
2001 Steve Logan 6-6
2000 Steve Logan 8-4

1990s[]

Season Coach Record
1999 Steve Logan 9-3
1998 Steve Logan 6-5
1997 Steve Logan 5-6
1996 Steve Logan 8-3
1995 Steve Logan 9-3
1994 Steve Logan 7-5
1993 Steve Logan 2-9
1992 Steve Logan 5-6
1991
1990

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 East Carolina Coaching Records. East Carolina History. College Football Data Warehouse (2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
  2. 1932. 1930's Football. East Carolina University (2005-08-30). Archived from the original on 2008-09-04. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
  3. 3.0 3.1 East Carolina Yearly Results, 1932-1934. East Carolina History. College Football Data Warehouse (2008). Archived from the original on 2008-04-22. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
  4. Why Pirates?. Traditions. East Carolina Official Athletic Site (2008). Archived from the original on 2012-07-07.
  5. East Carolina Yearly Results, 1935-1939. East Carolina History. College Football Data Warehouse (2008). Archived from the original on 2008-04-22. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.

External Links[]

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