Where are the Troy Trojans from? Here’s what you need to know about this No. 14-seeded NCAA tournament team
Located in the heart of football country, Troy University will return to the men's NCAA tournament when the No. 14 seed plays No. 3 Kentucky at 7:10 p.m. Friday at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
Here are some facts to know about the university and its basketball program.
How Troy University was founded
Known for its teaching college, the Alabama Legislature established Troy State Normal School on Feb. 26, 1887. The institution has undergone several name changes since then, including Troy State Teacher’s College in 1929, before finally adopting its current name in 2004. Troy, Alabama, is about 50 miles southeast of the state capital Montgomery.
Present day Troy University
The university had 10,468 undergraduate students in the fall of 2023 and has an acceptance rate of 93%, according to US News & World Reports. More than 60% of its classes have fewer than 20 students. The four-year graduation rate is 29%.
Famous alumni from Troy University
It’s no surprise a school in the heart of Alabama has fielded a long roster of NFL players. More than 60 have gone from Troy to professional football, according to Pro Football Reference. Among them are Hall of Fame pass rusher DeMarcus Ware, Super Bowl champion Osi Umenyiora, and former Packers running backs Brandon Burks and DeJuan Harris. The NBA roster from Troy is much shorter, but it includes former first-round draft pick Troy Brown Jr. (15th overall, 2018). Outside sports, retired United States Navy Rear Admiral John Kirby is a graduate of Troy. Kirby served in the Joe Biden administration as Pentagon press secretary and assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs from 2022 to 2025.
How the Troy University athletics program got its nickname
Troy has used a rotation of nicknames over the years before settling on its current mascot, the Trojans. Its athletics programs were initially called the Teachers, fitting since the university began as a teacher’s college. It was called the Red Wave from 1931 to 1973, a variation of the Alabama Crimson Tide. In 1973, the student body voted to switch its nickname to Trojans, which it carries today.
NCAA tournament history for Troy University
The Trojans are making their third appearance in the NCAA tournament. It first appeared as Troy State in 2003, losing 71-59 as a No. 14 seed to No. 3 Xavier in the first round. In 2017, it lost 87-65 as a No. 15 seed to Duke.
How Troy University made it to this year’s tournament
With a 13-5 conference record, Troy finished in a tie atop the Sun Belt Conference standings with Arkansas State. The Trojans beat Arkansas State 94-81 in the Sun Belt tournament championship, punching its automatic ticket to the NCAA tournament. At 23-10 overall, Troy is led by senior guard Tayton Conerway’s 14.3 points per game. Sophomore guard Myles Rigsby provides complementary scoring, averaging 12 points per game.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Where is Troy? All you need to know about Trojans basketball team
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