NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Former Tennessee State University football coach L.C. Cole is asking the Tennessee State community for help after learning that the program’s 1998 and 1999 championship trophies are reportedly missing.
Cole shared the news with Tennessee State fans on social media, urging anyone with information about the trophies’ whereabouts to come forward.
“Tennessee State Fans I just got word that our 1998 and 1999 championships trophy’s are missing,” Cole wrote.
Cole emphasized that the trophies represent more than just awards. They are reminders of the accomplishments of Tennessee State players, coaches, the Aristocrat of Bands and the fans who supported the program.
“Our players and coaches, band and fans work hard to receive these awards,” Cole added. “Please return them.”
The news has raised questions among members of the TSU community about where the championship trophies are currently located and how they came to be missing.
For Tennessee State, preserving championship memorabilia is an important part of protecting the university’s athletic history. The trophies serve as physical reminders of teams that represented the Tigers and the work put in by generations of student-athletes and supporters.
At this point, there has been no public indication of who may have possession of the trophies or how they went missing. Anyone with legitimate information about their whereabouts is being encouraged to report it to Tennessee State officials.
For a program with such a proud history, the message from Cole and the TSU community is simple:
Bring the trophies home.
