Still Golden After a Half-Century
Arkansas Tech University celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Golden Suns nickname during the ATU Homecoming 2025 with a reception at the Hull Building Student Union. The name Golden Suns was first adopted for the women's athletics teams in 1975.
However, women’s sports at Arkansas Tech began well before that. Early teams were known as the Wonder Girls or the Wonderettes, especially noted in the history of women’s basketball on campus. Records from the Agricola yearbook show that women’s basketball was already being played at Tech as early as 1914.
In the mid-to-late 1920s, women’s teams competed on limited schedules under coaches Nora Brown and Edna Hood Ferguson. The 1931 team stands out as one of the strongest early squads, led by standout players Myrthinne Moore, Bonna Dale Van Dalsem, Mary Ellen Morgan, and Ester Mears. That team achieved a 5-2 record, including two victories each over Henderson State and the College of the Ozarks (now University of the Ozarks).
"Star players such as Myrthinne Moore, Bonna Dale Van Dalsem, Mary Ellen Morgan and Ester Mears led the 1931 Tech women’s team to a 5-2 record, including two wins over both Henderson State and College of the Ozarks (now University of the Ozarks)."
These early achievements laid the foundation for the legacy that the Golden Suns nickname now proudly represents.
Summary: Arkansas Tech University honors five decades of women's athletics with the Golden Suns nickname, tracing roots back to pioneering teams over a century ago that built a lasting sports legacy.