The Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams that represent Stanford University. Stanford's program has won over 100 national team championships, as well as 22 consecutive NACDA Directors' Cups, awarded annually to the most successful overall college sports program in the nation. Stanford's teams compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for college football) level as a member of the Pac-12 Conference, along with other schools from the western third of the United States.
Video Stanford Cardinal
Nickname and mascot history
Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams. White was adopted as a secondary color in the 1940s.
On November 25, 1930, following a unanimous vote by the Executive Committee for the Associated Students, the athletic department adopted the mascot "Indian." The Indian symbol and name were later dropped by President Richard Lyman in 1972, after objections from Native American students and a vote by the student senate.
From 1972 to 1981, the official nickname was the Cardinals, a reference to the color, not the bird. During the 1970s, a number of suggestions were put forth as possible nicknames: Robber Barons (a sly reference to Leland Stanford's history), Sequoias, Trees, Railroaders, Spikes, Huns and Griffins. The last suggestion gained enough momentum to prompt the university to place two griffin statues near the athletic facilities.
On November 17, 1981, school president Donald Kennedy declared that the athletic teams be represented by the color cardinal in its singular form.
Stanford has no official mascot, but the Stanford Tree, a member of the Stanford Band wearing a self-designed tree costume, appears at major Stanford sports events. The Tree is based on El Palo Alto, a redwood tree in neighboring Palo Alto that appears in the Stanford seal and athletics logo.
Maps Stanford Cardinal
Sports teams
Stanford University sponsors 15 men's, 20 women's, and two coed sports varsity teams, primarily in competing in the NCAA Division I and the Pac-12 Conference. The rowing program competes in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association, the men's and women's gymnastics, track and field, men's volleyball, men's and women's water polo, and women's lacrosse all compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, the field hockey program competes in the America East Conference, sailing in the Intercollegiate Sailing Association, squash program in the College Squash Association, and the synchro program in the USA Synchro.
Football
Basketball
Baseball
The Cardinal have appeared in the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament 31 times, and appearing in the College World Series 16 times. They have won two National Championships, in 1987 and 1988.
Men's golf
The men's golf team has won eight NCAA Championships: 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942 (co-champions), 1946, 1953, 1994, 2007. They have crowned three individual national champions: Sandy Tatum (1942), Tiger Woods (1996), and Cameron Wilson (2014). They have won 10 Pac-12 Conference championships: 1960, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1977 (south), 1992, 1994, 2014-16. Other notable players include Tom Watson, Bob Rosburg, NFL quarterback John Brodie, and Notah Begay III.
Women's golf
In 1971 Shelley Hamlin won the women's national intercollegiate individual golf championship (an event conducted by the Division of Girls' and Women's Sports, which evolved into the current NCAA women's golf championship).
Men's soccer
The Cardinal have appeared in the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament 14 times since their inaugural season in 1973, including 11 times in the 20 seasons from 1997-2016. They have five appearances in the College Cup, including winning the 2015 and 2016 national championships.
Women's soccer
The Cardinal won the 2011 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament.
Men's tennis
The Cardinal have won 17 NCAA Men's tennis championships: 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981,1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000.
Women's tennis
The Cardinal have won 18 NCAA Women's tennis championships: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2013, and 2016.
Women's volleyball
Stanford is one of only two teams, along with Penn State, that has appeared in every NCAA tournament since its inception in 1981. Stanford has won 7 NCAA championships, tied with Penn State for the most of any team, and has appeared in 15 championship games, more than any other team.
Wrestling
The Stanford Wrestling team is coached by Jason Borrelli. Borrelli wrestled at Central Michigan University. Currently in his sixth season, Borrelli has compiled a 42-53-3 career record. The Cardinal wrestlers practice in the Weintz Family Wrestling Room, and compete on campus at Burnham Pavilion, with a capacity of about 1,400. The Cardinal Wrestling team have placed in the top 20 at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in 1967 (13th), 2004 (19th), 2008 (19th), 2011 (11th), and 2012 (16th). The team finished third in the Pacific Coast Conference placings in 1933 and 1935, second in the AAWU in 1965, third in the Pacific-10 Conference in 1985 and 1986 second in the Pac-10 in 2008, and third in the Pac-12 in 2012.
Stanford has one national champion in its history: Matt Gentry at 157 pounds in 2004. Through 2015, the Cardinal can claim 21 conference champions and 17 All-Americans, but no team Pac-12 titles.
Notable non-varsity sports
Rugby
Stanford has fielded a college rugby team since 1906, and replaced football entirely until 1917. Stanford achieved one of the most surprising victories of American rugby's early history by beating a touring Australian club team in 1912. Rugby remained a varsity sport at Stanford until 1977. Despite the loss of varsity status, the Stanford Rugby Foundation covers many of the team's expenses from an endowment fund. Rugby is one of the largest sports programs on campus with over 100 players. Stanford Rugby is led by Director of Rugby Matt Sherman, who has served as an assistant coach for the U.S. men's national team.
From 1996 to 1998 Stanford reached the national semifinals in three consecutive years, finishing second in 1998. During the 2010-11 season, Stanford was champion of the Northern California conference, reached the national quarterfinals, and finished the season ranked 4th in D1-AA rugby. Following the 2011-12 season, Stanford were promoted to Division 1-A and played in the California conference, but have since returned to Division 1-AA and now play in the Pacific Western conference. Stanford won the Pacific Western conference in 2014, earning a berth in the D1-AA national playoffs, where they defeated Oregon 24-12 at home in front of a strong crowd, before losing to Arizona 27-24 in the quarterfinals.
Championships
NCAA team championships
Stanford has won 113 NCAA team national championships. Stanford has won these NCAA team championships in 20 different sports.
- Men's (63)
- Baseball (2): 1987, 1988
- Basketball (1): 1942
- Cross country (4): 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003
- Golf + (8): 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1953, 1994, 2007
- Gymnastics (5): 1992, 1993, 1995, 2009, 2011
- Outdoor track & field (4): 1925 (unofficial), 1928, 1934, 2000
- Soccer (2): 2015, 2016
- Swimming (8): 1967, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998
- Tennis (17): 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000
- Volleyball (2): 1997, 2010
- Water polo (10): 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 2001, 2002
- Women's (50)
- Basketball (2): 1990, 1992
- Cross country (5): 1996, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007
- Golf (1): 2015
- Rowing (1): 2009
- Soccer (1): 2011
- Swimming (9): 1983, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2017
- Tennis (18): 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2016
- Volleyball (7): 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2016
- Water polo (6): 2002, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017
- + The NCAA started sponsoring the intercollegiate golf championship in 1939, but it retained the titles from the 41 championships previously conferred by the National Intercollegiate Golf Association in its records.
Other national team championships
Below are 37 national team titles in NCAA sports that were not bestowed by the NCAA:
- Men's (17)
- Basketball (1): 1937 (retroactive Helms and Premo-Porretta selectors)
- Football (2): 1926, 1940
- Tennis (1): 1942 ?
- Tennis (12) (indoor): 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002 (ITA)
- Water polo (1): 1963 (coaches' poll)
- Women's (20)
- Rowing (6) (lightweight eights): 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 (IRA)
- Swimming (1): 1980 (AIAW)
- Tennis (1): 1978 (AIAW)
- Tennis (10) (indoor): 1989, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011 (ITA)
- Water polo (1): 1985 (USA Water Polo)
- ? Unofficial by virtue of winning both the collegiate individual and doubles crowns of the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association
Below are 41 national team titles won by Stanford varsity and club sports teams at the highest collegiate levels in non-NCAA sports:
- Men's (5)
- Rugby (1) (Div. II): 2002
- Sailing, offshore large boats (2): 1967, 1968
- Ultimate (2): 1984, 2002
- Women's (23)
- Archery (2) (recurve): 2006, 2007
- Rugby (4): 1999, 2005, 2006, 2008
- Synchronized swimming (8): 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2016 (USA Synchro collegiate championships)
- Table tennis (1): 2006
- Ultimate (8): 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2016
- Combined (13)
- Badminton (3): 1997, 1998, 1999
- Canoe/Kayak (4) (flatwater): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Cycling (4) (road): 1995, 1996, 1997, 2007
- Sailing (1) (team race): 1997 (ICSA)
- Taekwondo (1): 2013
Consecutive years winning NCAA team championships
Stanford has won at least one NCAA team championship each year for 41 consecutive years, starting in 1976-77 and continuing through 2016-17.
Stanford's run of 41 consecutive years winning an NCAA team championship is the longest such streak in NCAA history. The next longest NCAA championship streak is 19 years.
Stanford has won 99 NCAA team championships during this 41 year NCAA championship streak. The most NCAA team championships Stanford has won in a single year is six in 1996-97 (men's and women's cross-country, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's volleyball). Stanford has won five NCAA team championships in a year three times (1991-92, 1994-95, and 1997-98).
NCAA individual championships
Stanford athletes have won 483 NCAA individual championships as of July 1, 2016.
Stanford's 483 individual championships are the most individual championships won by any school in NCAA Division I. No other Division I school has won more than 400 NCAA individual championships.
Directors' Cups
Stanford has won the NACDA Directors' Cup every year for the last 22 years. The Directors' Cup recognizes the most successful overall sports program in NCAA Division I.
The Directors' Cup is awarded annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). The Directors' Cup rewards broad-based success in both men's and women's college sports. Points are awarded based on post-season success in NCAA-sponsored sports.
Stanford finished second in the first Directors' Cup competition in 1993-94, behind North Carolina. Stanford won its first Directors' Cup the following year, 1994-95. Stanford has won the Directors' Cup every year since then, winning 22 Directors' Cups in a row from 1994-95 through 2015-16.
Cal rivalry
Stanford has a traditional sports rivalry in the San Francisco Bay Area with the University of California, Berkeley.
Olympics representation
Stanford athletes have traditionally been very well represented at the Olympics. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Stanford sent 47 current or former student athletes, 32 of whom competed for the United States, 14 for other countries, and one as a coach for the United States softball team. In all, Stanford athletes won 25 medals: For the 2012 London Olympics, 39 athletes were from Stanford and 26 represented Team USA.
Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame
The Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame was established on December 21, 1954. The brainchild of Walt Gamage, sports editor of the now-defunct Palo Alto Times, the first class of inductees consisted of 34 Stanford sports greats. New members are inducted annually and are recognized during halftime of a home Stanford football game. The Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame Room is located on the first floor of the Arrillaga Family Sports Center on the Stanford campus.
References
External links
- Official website
Source of article : Wikipedia