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Tartan Facts

Who founded Carnegie Mellon University?
 Carnegie Technical Schools was founded in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie. Twelve years later it became known as the Carnegie Institute of Technology. In 1967, the school merged with Mellon Institute and became what is known today as Carnegie Mellon University.

What is a Tartan?
Carnegie Mellon University's nickname, Tartans, is often misrepresented as a fierce warrior from either the Asian tundra or Scottish highlands. In actuality, a Tartan is a twilled woolen fabric with a plaid design. It is of Scottish origin and consists of stripes of various colors and widths against a solid ground, denoting a particular family lineage. The school's founder, Andrew Carnegie, was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, in 1835. Carnegie came to the United States in 1848 and founded Carnegie Technical Schools in Pittsburgh in 1900.

Official Mascot?
The scottie dog was named the Tartans official mascot in the spring of 2007.

Sports Facts:

  • Football recorded 35 non-losing seasons, spanning from 1975-2009, and has participated in the NCAA playoffs seven times, most recently in 2006
  • In 2006, two football players rushed for more than 1,000 yards on the season, becoming the first pair to ever do so
  • Swimming has nine National Champions
  • Men's Soccer won five consecutive UAA championships (2001-2005)
  • Kassie Segmiller is the leading point scorer for both men's and women's basketball with 1,595 career points
  • Seven women's basketball players have scored 1,000 pts or more
  • 17 men's basketball players have scored 1,000 points or more
  • Men's Basketball made five straight postseason appearances ('05-'09), two NCAA and three ECAC
  • Kayvon Fatahalion won the NCAA Men's Tennis Singles Championship in 2000
  • The men's tennis team was nationally ranked for the first time in 2004-2005 and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2009
  • The women's tennis team was ranked nationally for the first time in 2001 and has held a nationally ranking since
  • The women's tennis team has advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals twice (2009 and 2010)
  • The women's tennis team won the inaugural Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Division III Women's Team Indoor Championship in 2009
  • Amy Staloch became the first women's tennis player to win the ITA National Singles Championship in 2005
  • The volleyball team had its first-ever Division III NCAA tournament victory in 2009 making its second ever appearance
  • The men's cross country team won their first UAA Championship in 2005 and have went to six straight NCAA meets  ('05-'10)
  • Men's Track and Field won their first outright UAA Outdoor Championship in 2007 as well as winning the Championship in 2008