has been designated as an Ocean Friendly Restaurant (OFR). It is the second university dining hall in the nation to receive the designation. As part of 400 OFR in the U.S., Islander Dining Hall is working to lower an estimated 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic entering the world's marine ecosystems. Elizabeth Alford, Marketing Manager for the Islander Dining Hall, said of the designation:"With the university surrounded by Oso Bay and Corpus Christi Bay, it is important that we take the initiative to reduce the amount of plastic and Styrofoam waste that could potentially come from Islander Dining Hall. . . . It is imperative that we use our location as an educational tool for our students. This recognition encourages our community to be stewards of the environment."Islander Dining Hall has banned the use of Styrofoam, plastic bags, plastic plates, and plastic utensils. Islander Dining Hall also uses reusable food ware for onsite dining, recycles and provides biodegradable coffee cups and to-go plates. Athletics The Texas A&M–Corpus Christi (TAMUCC) athletic teams are called the Islanders. The university is a member of the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Southland Conference since the 2006–07 academic year. Prior to that, the Islanders had competed as an NCAA Division III Independent from 1999–2000 to 2001–02; as well as an NCAA D-I Independent from 2002–03 to 2005–06. TAMUCC competes in 14 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, tennis, and track & field (indoor and outdoor); women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track, and field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball. Nickname/mascot TAMUCC's team nickname, the Islanders, was taken from the institution being located on an island. Their mascot is "Izzy the Islander", a blue figure designed to represent the "coastal lifestyle" of Corpus Christi. He was redesigned in 2022, previously depicting a costumed man with a tiki mask headdress, grass skirt, and spear. Prior to that, the official mascot was "Tarpie" the Tarpon. Men's basketball The TAMUCC Islanders basketball team is coached by Steve Lutz and play their home games at the American Bank Center as well as at the Dugan Wellness Center on the University's campus. They have played in the NCAA tournament twice, most recently in 2022. Women's cross country The TAMUCC Islander cross country team is regarded as the most successful sport in school history,