Minnesota Golden Gophers

The Minnesota Golden Gophers (commonly shortened to Gophers) are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and wrestling. Women's-specific sports include rowing, soccer, softball, and volleyball.

In men's and women's ice hockey, the Gophers belong to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. In all other sports, they belong to the Big Ten Conference. Most of the facilities that the teams use for training and competitive play are located on the East Bank of the Minneapolis campus. There are arenas for men and women basketball (Williams Arena) as well as hockey (Mariucci Arena and Ridder Arena). The Gopher football team began playing at TCF Bank Stadium in September 2009. The women's soccer team plays on the St. Paul campus in Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium.

The Cheerleaders and the Dance Team are also part of the university's athletic department; they are present at events for basketball, hockey, football, and volleyball.

During the 2006–2007 academic year, the Golden Gophers wrestling team won the NCAA national championship and the Big Ten team title. The Golden Gophers also won conference championships in men's hockey, men's golf, women's rowing, men's swimming and diving, and women's indoor track and field.

Maroon and Gold
In 1880, the University of Minnesota was preparing for spring graduation. For the previous 29 years, different graduation colors were used every ceremony. In spring 1880, President Folwell began a tradition of common school colors at the University. He asked an English instructor, Mrs. Augusta Smith, to select proper colors to use for graduation ribbons and other occasions. She chose maroon and gold, which made a favorable impression on the students and faculty in 1880. As the years passed and without any kind of formal action, maroon and gold became the official school colors.



The "Golden" Gophers
The Gopher mascot is a tradition as old as the state. Minnesota was tabbed the “Gopher State” in 1857 after a satirizing cartoon, depicting nine Gophers with the heads of local politicians pulling a locomotive, was published. The story was over legislative action for a $5 million railroad proposal in western Minnesota. Later, the University picked up the nickname.

The “Golden” adjective has not always been a part of the Gopher nickname. During the 1930s, the Gophers wore gold jerseys and pants. Legendary KSTP radio announcer Halsey Hall coined the term “Golden Gophers” in reference to the team’s all-gold attire on the field. From 1932 through 1941, Minnesota compiled an impressive record, losing only 12 games and winning seven Big Ten titles and five national championships—a true “golden” decade of Gopher football.

School songs
School songs for the university include Minnesota Rouser, Minnesota March, Go Gopher Victory, Our Minnesota, Minnesota Fight, Hail! Minnesota, and the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

National championships

 * Football (7):
 * 1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960


 * Men's Basketball (3):
 * 1902, 1903, 1919


 * Men's Ice Hockey (7):
 * 1929, 1940, 1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003


 * Women's Ice Hockey (4):
 * 2000, 2004, 2005, 2012


 * Baseball (3):
 * 1956, 1960, 1964


 * Men's Golf (1):
 * 2002


 * Men's Outdoor Track and Field (1):
 * 1948


 * Wrestling (3):
 * 2001, 2002, 2007

''Notes: With the exception of football, national championships are awarded by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA itself does not award a championship for Division I-A football. The NCAA began awarding national championships for men's basketball in 1939; previous championships were retroactively awarded by the Helms Athletic Foundation. The NCAA began awarding national championships for men's ice hockey in 1948; previous championships were awarded by the Amateur Athletic Union and by the National Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA began awarding national championships for women's ice hockey in 2001; previous championships were awarded by the American Women's College Hockey Alliance.''

Baseball

 * National Championships (3):
 * 1956, 1960, 1964


 * NCAA Tournament Appearances (30):
 * 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010


 * Big Ten Regular Season Championships (22):
 * 1933, 1935, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010


 * Big Ten Conference Tournament Championships (8):
 * 1982, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2010

Men's basketball

 * Big Ten Regular Season Championships (8):
 * 1906, 1907, 1911, 1917, 1919, 1937, 1972, 1982


 * NCAA Tournament Appearances (7):
 * 1972, 1982, 1989, 1990, 2005, 2009, 2010


 * Sweet 16 Appearances (3):
 * 1982, 1989, 1990


 * Elite 8 Appearances (1):
 * 1990


 * NIT Appearances (11):
 * 1973, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2012


 * NIT Championships (1):
 * 1993

Note: A 1997 Big Ten regular season championship, NCAA Tournament appearances in 1994, 1995, 1997 (Final Four), and 1999, as well as NIT appearances in 1996 and 1998 (Championship) were vacated due to NCAA sanctions.

Women's basketball

 * NCAA Tournament Appearances (8):
 * 1994, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009


 * Sweet 16 Appearances (3):
 * 2003, 2004, 2005


 * Elite 8 Appearances (1):
 * 2004


 * Final Four Appearances (1):
 * 2004

Men's cross country

 * Big Ten Team Championships (4):
 * 1909, 1914, 1964, 1969

Women's cross country

 * Big Ten Team Championships (2):
 * 2007, 2008

Football

 * National Championships (7):
 * 1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960


 * Big Ten Conference Championships (18):
 * 1900, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1915, 1927, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1960, 1967


 * Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the Northwest Championships (2):
 * 1892, 1893


 * Bowl Games (15):
 * Rose – 1961, 1962
 * Hall of Fame – 1977
 * Independence – 1985
 * Liberty – 1986
 * Sun – 1999, 2003
 * Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas – 2012
 * MicronPC.com – 2000
 * Music City – 2002, 2004, 2005
 * Insight – 2006, 2008, 2009


 * Bowl game victories: 1962 Rose, 1985 Independence, 2002 Music City, 2003 Sun, 2004 Music City

Traveling trophies

 * The Little Brown Jug – Accidentally left in Minnesota back in 1903 by Michigan coach Fielding H. Yost, it is painted with the victories of the two teams.
 * Floyd of Rosedale – Since 1935 the Gophers and the Iowa Hawkeyes have fought to win this bronze pig. The Gophers won the 2010 and 2011 match up for the pig, upsetting the favored Hawkeyes at TCF Bank Stadium.
 * Paul Bunyan's Axe – Minnesota and the Wisconsin Badgers have passed this trophy back and forth since 1948, although it records the two teams' encounters since 1890.
 * Governor's Victory Bell – The newest of the four trophies, the bell was created to commemorate the 1993 entrance of Penn State's Nittany Lions into the Big Ten.

Golf
Men's golf
 * National Championships (1):
 * 2002


 * Big Ten Team Championships (7):
 * 1929, 1938, 1963, 1972, 2002, 2003, 2007


 * Individual National Champions (2):
 * 1944 - Louis Lick
 * 1998 - James McLean

Women's golf
 * Big Ten Team Championships (1):
 * 1989

Gymnastics
Men's gymnastics
 * Big Ten Team Championships (21):
 * 1903, 1907, 1910, 1925, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995

Women's gymnastics
 * Big Ten Team Championships (5):
 * 1988, 1989, 1991, 1998, 2006

Men's ice hockey

 * National Championships (2 pre-NCAA, 5 NCAA):
 * 1929, 1940, 1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003


 * WCHA Regular Season Championships (13):
 * 1953, 1954, 1970, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1997, 2006, 2007, 2012


 * WCHA Tournament Championships (14):
 * 1961, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2007


 * NCAA Frozen Four Appearances (20):
 * 1953, 1954, 1961, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2012

Women's ice hockey

 * National Championships (4):
 * 2000 (AWCHA), 2004, 2005, 2012


 * WCHA Regular Season Championships (6):
 * 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010


 * WCHA Tournament Championships (4):
 * 2002, 2004, 2005, 2012


 * NCAA Frozen Four Appearances (8):
 * 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012

Women's rowing

 * Big Ten Championships (1):
 * 2007

Women's soccer

 * Big Ten Championships (3):
 * 1995, 1997, 2008

Softball

 * Big Ten Regular Season Championships (3):
 * 1986, 1988, 1991


 * Big Ten Tournament Championships (1):
 * 1999

Spirit Squads
Dance Team
 * National Championships (7):
 * 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012

Swimming
Men's swimming
 * Big Ten Team Championships (9):
 * 1922, 1926, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007

Women's swimming
 * Big Ten Team Championships (4):
 * 1999, 2000, 2008, 2012

Men's tennis

 * Big Ten Team Championships (14):
 * 1910, 1911, 1912, 1918, 1932, 1933, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995

Men's track
Outdoor track and field
 * National Championships (1):
 * 1948


 * Big Ten Team Championships (6):
 * 1949, 1968, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2009, 2010

Indoor track and field
 * Big Ten Team Championships (4):
 * 1998, 2009, 2010, 2011

Women's track
Outdoor track and field
 * Big Ten Team Championships (1):
 * 2006

Indoor track and field
 * Big Ten Team Championships (2):
 * 2007, 2008, 2009

Volleyball

 * Big Ten Championships (1):
 * 2002


 * NCAA Tournament Appearances (18):
 * 1989, 1993, 1996–97, 1999, 2000–12


 * Sweet 16 Appearances (10):
 * 1989, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009


 * Final Four Appearances (3):
 * 2003, 2004, 2009

Wrestling

 * National Championships (3):
 * 2001, 2002, 2007


 * Big Ten Team Championships (13):
 * 1910, 1912, 1913, 1941, 1957, 1959, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2012

Rugby
Minnesota rugby plays Division 1 college rugby in the Big Ten Universities conference against traditional Big 10 rivals such as Wisconsin and Iowa. Minnesota qualified for the national playoffs in 2011, and finished the 2011 season ranked 7th in the nation. Some of Minnesota's games have been well attended by fans, with the team drawing as many as 6,000 fans to watch the team play at TCF Bank Stadium.

Baseball

 * John Anderson
 * Brent Gates
 * Jack Hannahan


 * Mark Merila
 * Paul Molitor
 * Denny Neagle
 * Greg Olson


 * Glen Perkins
 * Robb Quinlan
 * Dick Siebert – coach
 * Terry Steinbach
 * Dave Winfield (also played basketball at Minnesota)
 * Dan Wilson

Men's

 * Ron Behagen – Former NBA player
 * Walter Bond – Former NBA player, and motivational speaker
 * Randy Breuer – Former NBA player
 * Jim Brewer (basketball) – Former NBA player
 * Willie Burton – Former NBA player
 * Archie Clark – Former NBA player
 * Louis 'Doc' Cooke, coach (1897–1924)
 * Bud Grant – Former NBA player, NFL player and longtime Hall of Fame head coach of the Minnesota Vikings
 * Clem Haskins – coach
 * Lou Hudson – Former NBA player
 * Kris Humphries – NBA player
 * Sam Jacobson – Former NBA player
 * Bobby Jackson – NBA player
 * Mark Landsberger – Former NBA player
 * Voshon Lenard – Former NBA player
 * Kevin McHale – Basketball Hall of Famer and former President of Basketball Operations / Head Coach of the Houston Rockets
 * Mark Olberding – Former NBA player
 * Joel Przybilla – Center, Portland Trail Blazers
 * Flip Saunders – NBA head coach
 * Tubby Smith – Current head coach
 * John Thomas – Former NBA player
 * Mychal Thompson – Former NBA player
 * Trent Tucker – Former NBA player
 * Ray Williams (basketball) – Former NBA player

Women's

 * Janel McCarville – Center, New York Liberty
 * Linda Roberts
 * Carol Ann Shudlick
 * Lindsay Whalen – Point guard, Minnesota Lynx
 * Emily Fox
 * Linda Hill-MacDonald – Former head coach

Players

 * Asad Abdul-Khaliq – Quarterback, Chicago Rush
 * Dominique Barber – Safety, Houston Texans
 * Marion Barber Jr. – Former NFL running back
 * Marion Barber III – Running back, Chicago Bears
 * Bobby Bell – Pro Football Hall of Famer
 * Phil Bengtson – Former NFL head coach
 * Bernie Bierman – Member of the College Football Hall of Fame
 * McKinley Boston – Former NFL Defensive end/Linebacker
 * Jack Brewer – Safety, Arizona Cardinals
 * Win Brockmeyer – Former high school football head coach
 * Tom Brown- 1960 Outland Trophy winner, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
 * Gino Cappelletti – Former AFL Wide Receiver/Placekicker, AFL all-time leading scorer
 * Tyrone Carter – Defensive back, San Diego Chargers, 1999 Jim Thorpe Award winner
 * Tony Dungy – Quarterback for U in the mid-1970s; Former NFL safety for Pittsburgh Steelers, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts & 1st African-American coach to win a Super Bowl
 * Mark Dusbabek – Former NFL Linebacker
 * Carl Eller – Pro Football Hall of Famer
 * Greg Eslinger – Center, Denver Broncos, 2005 Outland Trophy and Rimington Trophy winner
 * George Gibson – Former NFL offensive guard and head coach
 * Paul Giel – Member of the College Football Hall of Fame also was U's AD from 1972 to 1988 and played Major League Baseball
 * Bud Grant – Pro Football Hall of Famer & Canadian Football Hall of Fame
 * Ben Hamilton – Offensive guard, Denver Broncos
 * Mike Hohensee – Head coach, Chicago Rush
 * Herb Joesting – Member of the College Football Hall of Fame
 * Rhys Lloyd – Kicker, Carolina Panthers
 * Bob McNamara – Former Running Back, Winnipeg Blue Bombers & Denver Broncos
 * John McGovern, College Football Hall of Fame, quarterback
 * Laurence Maroney – Running back, Denver Broncos
 * Bobby Marshall – One of the first two African-American to play in the NFL, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
 * Karl Mecklenburg – Former NFL linebacker
 * Willie Middlebrooks – Defensive back, Toronto Argonauts
 * Bronko Nagurski – Pro Football Hall of Famer (charter member), member of the College Football Hall of Fame
 * Leo Nomellini – Pro Football Hall of Famer
 * Derek Rackley – Tight end, Atlanta Falcons
 * Darrell Reid – Defensive Tackle, Indianapolis Colts
 * Karon Riley – Defensive end, Washington Redskins
 * Cory Sauter – Former NFL quarterback
 * Jeff Schuh – Retired Linebacker
 * Mark Setterstrom – Offensive guard, St. Louis Rams
 * Bruce Smith – 1941 Heisman Trophy winner, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
 * Sandy Stephens – First African-American major-college All-American quarterback
 * Thomas Tapeh – Former NFL Fullback
 * Ryan Thelwell – Wide Receiver, BC Lions
 * Darrell Thompson – Former NFL Running back
 * Rick Upchurch – Former NFL wide receiver
 * Ben Utecht – Tight end, Tennessee Titans
 * Bud Wilkinson – Member of the College Football Hall of Fame
 * Jeff Wright – Former Minnesota Viking Defensive back

Coaches

 * Bernie Bierman
 * Tim Brewster
 * Fritz Crisler
 * William Heffelfinger
 * Wesley Fesler
 * George Hauser
 * Lou Holtz
 * Jerry Kill
 * Glen Mason
 * William H. Spaulding
 * Clarence Spears
 * Jim Wacker
 * Murray Warmath
 * Henry L. Williams

Golf

 * Tom Lehman
 * James McLean

Gymnastics

 * Newt Loken
 * Marie Roethlisberger
 * John Roethlisberger

Men's

 * Wendell Anderson
 * Keith Ballard
 * Kellen Briggs
 * Herb Brooks
 * Aaron Broten
 * Neal Broten
 * Kris Chucko
 * Ben Clymer


 * Mike Crowley
 * Alex Goligoski
 * Tim Harrer
 * Steve Janaszak
 * Bob Johnson
 * Phil Kessel
 * Trent Klatt
 * Reed Larson
 * Nick Leddy


 * Jordan Leopold
 * Don Lucia
 * John Mariucci
 * Paul Martin
 * John Mayasich
 * Joe Micheletti
 * Pat Micheletti
 * Lou Nanne


 * Ryan Potulny
 * Johnny Pohl
 * Jordan Schroeder
 * Robb Stauber
 * Jeff Taffe
 * Thomas Vanek
 * Phil Verchota
 * Blake Wheeler
 * Doug Woog

Women's

 * Winny Brodt
 * Natalie Darwitz
 * Courtney Kennedy
 * Gisele Marvin
 * Noora Raty
 * Jenny Schmidgall-Potter
 * Krissy Wendell

Soccer

 * Mikki Denney Wright – Coach
 * Jennifer McElmury
 * Samuel Winter

Softball

 * Kim Niederluecke

Women's

 * Heather Dorniden
 * Alicia Rue

Men's

 * Steve Plasencia, Head Coach
 * Paul Thornton, Assistant Coach
 * Scott Bennett, Assistant Coach
 * Roy Griak, Administrative Assistant
 * Hassan Mead

NCAA Champions Indoor

 * Ron Backes 1986 (Shot Put, 68–11¼)
 * Martin Eriksson 1993 (Pole Vault, 18–0½)
 * Vesa Rantanen 1998 (Pole Vault, 18–2½)

NCAA Champions Outdoor

 * Jack DeField 1942 (Pole Vault, 14–1)
 * Bob Fitch 1942 (Discus, 164–8½)
 * Jack DeField 1943 (Pole Vault, 14–1)
 * Fortune Gordien 1946 (Discus, 153–10¾)
 * Fortune Gordien 1947 (Discus, 173–3)
 * Fortune Gordien 1948 (Discus, 164–0¼)
 * Lloyd LaMois 1948 (Triple Jump, 45–10)
 * Garry Bjorklund 1971 (Six Mile, 27:43.1)
 * Adam Steele 2003 (400m, 44.57)

Current Roster of the Minnesota Gophers Track & Field team 2009–2010

Wrestling

 * Shelton Benjamin – Former WWE Superstar
 * Verne Gagne – NCAA champion, owner of the defunct American Wrestling Association and its former heavyweight champion, member of many Professional wrestling Halls of Fame
 * Cole Konrad – 2 time undefeated, NCAA individual champion at 285 lbs
 * Brock Lesnar – Former WWE champion and former UFC Heavyweight Champion.
 * J Robinson – Current coach
 * Dustin Schlatter – 79–2 record in two seasons with the Gophers
 * Jacob Volkmann – 3-time all-American, current UFC fighter.

Athletic directors

 * Note: From 1974 to 2002, there were separate athletic departments for men and women's sports.


 * 1922–30 Fred Leuhring
 * 1930–32 Herbert O. (Fritz) Crisler
 * 1932–41 Frank G. McCormick
 * 1941–45 Lou Keller (acting)
 * 1945–50 Frank G. McCormick
 * 1950–63 Ike J. Armstrong
 * 1963–71 Marshall J. Ryman
 * 1971–88 Paul Giel (men's)
 * 1974–76 Belmar Gunderson (women's)
 * 1976–81 Vivian M. Barfield (women's)
 * 1981–82 M. Catherine Mathison (women's interim)


 * 1982–88 Merrily Dean Baker (women's)
 * 1988–89 Holger Christiansen (men's interim)
 * 1988–2002 Chris Voelz (women's)
 * 1989–91 Rick Bay (men's)
 * 1991–92 Dan Meinert (men's interim)
 * 1992–95 McKinley Boston (men's)
 * 1995–99 Mark Dienhart (men's)
 * 1999–2002 Tom Moe (men's)
 * 2002–2012 Joel Maturi
 * 2012–present Norwood Teague

Current facilities

 * Baseline Tennis Center — tennis
 * Bierman Track and Field Stadium — track
 * Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium — women's soccer
 * Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex
 * Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome — baseball
 * Jane Sage Cowles Stadium — softball
 * Les Bolstad Golf Course — golf
 * Mariucci Arena — men's hockey
 * Ridder Arena — women's hockey
 * Siebert Field — baseball
 * Sports Pavilion — gymnastics, volleyball, wrestling
 * TCF Bank Stadium — football
 * Williams Arena — basketball, wrestling
 * U of M Boathouse — rowing
 * University Aquatic Center — swimming and diving
 * University Fieldhouse

Former facilities

 * Northrop Field (1899–1923)
 * Memorial Stadium (1924–1981)