University Gonzaga University NCAA Division I Location Spokane, Washington | Conference West Coast Conference Athletic director Mike Roth Varsity teams 16 | |
The Gonzaga Bulldogs (also known unofficially as the Zags) are the intercollegiate athletic teams representing Gonzaga University, located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Gonzaga is a member of the West Coast Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I.
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History
Gonzaga University was founded in 1887 by Fr. Joseph Cataldo, a Sicilian-born priest. At one time, Gonzaga went by the nickname of Fighting Irish in the 1910s to early 1920s. This name was dropped in 1921 favor of the current "Bulldogs" mascot. Although the school's official mascot is a bulldog, fans and media have long used "Gonzos" as an alternate nickname.
Gonzaga was an NAIA school from 1947 to 1957, when they moved to the NCAA as an independent. They were a charter member of the Big Sky Conference in 1963, the only one of the six without a football program. In 1979, GU moved over to the West Coast Athletic Conference and the Big Sky added Nevada, now in the Mountain West Conference. The WCAC was shortened to today's WCC in 1989.
Teams
Gonzaga University sponsors teams in eight men's and nine women's NCAA sanctioned sports:
Men's basketball
Men's basketball has been the most successful sport for the Bulldogs. Gonzaga home games have been played at the McCarthey Athletic Center since 2004. The Bulldogs opened the arena with a 38-game win streak, the longest at the time in the NCAA, eventually snapped in February 2007 by the Santa Clara Broncos.
The Bulldogs have established a reputation as one of the stronger teams in college basketball, having played in 16 consecutive NCAA tournaments and ascending to the #1 ranking in both major polls during the 2012–13 season. They are generally reckoned as one of the closest things to a major basketball power in a mid-major conference.
Notable alumni of Gonzaga basketball include hall of famer John Stockton, Dan Dickau, Adam Morrison, Robert Sacre, Kelly Olynyk, Richie Frahm, J. P. Batista, Paul Rogers, Blake Stepp, Ronny Turiaf, and Austin Daye.
Football
Gonzaga last fielded a varsity football team 76 years ago in 1941. From 1892–1941 (excluding having no teams from 1894–1895 & 1900–1906), Gonzaga went 129–99–20.
Head coaches
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Boxing
The university had a strong boxing program and shared the national title with Idaho in 1950. Gonzaga dropped the sport in 1952, Idaho in 1954, and the NCAA in 1960. Football star Canadeo boxed during his senior year in 1941 at 175 lb (79 kg) and was named team captain.