▁third - larg est ▁producer ▁of ▁college ▁gradu ates ▁in ▁Texas ▁and ▁offers ▁over ▁ 1 8 0 ▁b ac cala ure ate , ▁master s , ▁and ▁doctor al ▁degree ▁programs . ▁ ▁U T ▁Ar ling ton ▁particip ates ▁in ▁ 1 5 ▁inter col leg iate ▁sports ▁as ▁a ▁Division ▁I ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁NCAA ▁and ▁Sun ▁B elt ▁Conference . ▁U TA ▁sports ▁teams ▁have ▁been ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Ma ver icks ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Est ab lish ment ▁( 1 8 9 5 – 1 9 1 6 ) ▁ ▁The ▁university ▁traces ▁its ▁roots ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁Ar ling ton ▁College ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 8 9 5 . ▁Ar ling ton ▁College ▁was ▁established ▁as ▁a ▁private ▁school ▁for ▁primary ▁through ▁secondary ▁level ▁students , ▁equivalent ▁to ▁the ▁modern ▁ 1 st ▁to ▁ 1 0 th ▁gr ades . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁public ▁school ▁system ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Ar ling ton ▁was ▁under fund ed ▁and ▁under st aff ed . ▁Local ▁merchant ▁Edward ▁Em m ett ▁Rank in ▁organized ▁fellow ▁citizens ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁to ▁don ate ▁materials ▁and ▁land ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁school house ▁where ▁the ▁modern ▁campus ▁is ▁now ▁located . ▁ ▁Rank in ▁also ▁convinced ▁the ▁two ▁co - pr inci p als ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁school ▁in ▁Ar ling ton , ▁Lee ▁Morgan ▁Hamm ond ▁and ▁William ▁Marshall ▁Tr im ble , ▁to ▁invest ▁in ▁and ▁hold ▁the