| Minnesota Golden Gophers | |
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| University | University of Minnesota |
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| Conference(s) | Big Ten WCHA |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletics director | Norwood Teague |
| Location | Minneapolis, MN |
| Varsity teams | 23 |
| Football stadium | TCF Bank Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Williams Arena |
| Baseball stadium | Siebert Field |
| Soccer stadium | Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium |
| Mascot | Goldy Gopher |
| Nickname | Golden Gophers |
| Fight song | Minnesota Rouser |
| Colors | Maroon and Gold
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| Homepage | Gophersports.com |
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.
Traditions[]
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.
Goldy Gopher, team mascot.
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.[1] 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[]
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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.[2][3]
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[]
Women's Cross Country Team runs the OZ invitational on the Les Bolstad Golf Course.
- Big Ten Team Championships (2):
- 2007, 2008
Football[]
- 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[]
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Men's golf
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Women's golf
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Gymnastics[]
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Men's gymnastics
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Women's gymnastics
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Men's ice hockey[]
- National Championships (2 pre-NCAA, 5 NCAA):
- 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[]
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Men's swimming
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Women's swimming
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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[]
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Outdoor track and field
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Indoor track and field
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Women's track[]
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Outdoor track and field
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Indoor track and field
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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
Notable non varsity sports[]
Rugby[]
Minnesota rugby plays Division 1 college rugby in the Big Ten Universities conference against traditional Big 10 rivals such as Wisconsin and Iowa.[6] Minnesota qualified for the national playoffs in 2011, and finished the 2011 season ranked 7th in the nation.[7] 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.[8]
Notable athletes and coaches[]
Baseball[]
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Basketball[]
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
Football[]
Golf[]
- Tom Lehman
- James McLean
Gymnastics[]
- Newt Loken
- Marie Roethlisberger
- John Roethlisberger
Hockey[]
Men's[]
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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
Track and Field[]
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.
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Facilities[]
Current facilities[]
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Former facilities[]
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See also[]
- List of college athletic programs in Minnesota
References[]
- ↑ "Minnesota State Symbols". Minnesota State Legislature. 2006-12-05. http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/Unsym.asp#animal. Retrieved 2007-02-08.
- ↑ "2006–07 Big Ten Conference Records Book". Big Ten Conference. 2006. http://bigten.cstv.com/trads/big10-recordbook.html. Retrieved 2007-02-11.
- ↑ "University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Public Infractions Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2000-10-24. http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4j3NQDJgFjGpvqRqCKO6AI-YXARX4_83FR9b_0A_YLc0NCIckdFAEuT364!/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvUUd3QndNQSEvNElVRS82XzBfTFU!?CONTENT_URL=http://www.ncaa.org/releases/infractions/2000/2000102401in.htm. Retrieved 2007-02-11.
- ↑ "Gopher Hockey History 1928–1929". Gopher Hockey History. http://www.gopherhockeyhistory.com/history/schedules/20s/20sSchedule.asp?season=1928-1929. Retrieved 2010-12-08.
- ↑ "Gopher Hockey History 1939–1940". Gopher Hockey History. http://www.gopherhockeyhistory.com/history/schedules/30s/30sSchedule.asp?season=1939-1940. Retrieved 2010-12-08.
- ↑ USA Rugby, College Conferences, http://www.usarugby.org/#cc%3D%5BApplication%5D%5C%5CStructure%5C%5CContent%5C%5CBrand%20Resource%20Center%5C%5CContent%5C%5CHome%5C%5C21D9415F-129C-3D1E-45B7-71078B463B81%5C%5C23181D59-131F-BE4F-E441-2B48F8B651A9%7B%7BTab%3AView%7D%7D
- ↑ Rugby Mag, Final Men's D1 College Top 25, May 17, 2011, http://www.rugbymag.com/men-di-college/870-final-mens-di-college-top-25-20102011.html
- ↑ Rugby Mag, Badgers Ruin Gophers' Party, October 8, 2011, http://www.rugbymag.com/men's-di-college/2262-badgers-ruin-gophers-party.html
- ↑ "College Football Hall of Fame". College Football Hall of Fame. http://www.collegefootball.org/famer_selected.php?id=30. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
- ↑ https://admin.xosn.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=746265
External links[]
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