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Gonzaga Bulldogs

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The Gonzaga Bulldogs (/ɡənˈzæɡə/), also known unofficially as the Zags, are the intercollegiate athletic teams representing Gonzaga University, located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Gonzaga competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I as a member of the West Coast Conference.

Gonzaga Bulldogs
Logo
UniversityGonzaga University
AssociationNCAA
ConferenceWCC (primary)
Pac-12 (starting July 1, 2026)
Athletic directorChris Standiford[1]
LocationSpokane, Washington
Varsity teams18
Basketball arenaMcCarthey Athletic Center
Baseball stadiumWashington Trust Field and Patterson Baseball Complex
Other venuesSpokane Veterans Memorial Arena
MascotSpike the Bulldog
NicknameBulldogs (official)
Zags (unofficial)[2]
Fight songGo, Gonzaga![3]
ColorsNavy blue, white, and red[4]
     
Websitewww.gozags.com
Men's sports Women's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Cross country
Cross country Golf
Golf Rowing
Rowing Soccer
Soccer Tennis
Tennis Track and field†
Track and field† Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

History

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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 "Zags" and “Gonzos” as alternate nicknames. [5][6]

Gonzaga was an NAIA school from 1947 to 1958,[7][8] 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.[9] GU moved over to the West Coast Athletic Conference in the summer of 1979,[10][11][12] and the Big Sky added Nevada,[13] now in the Mountain West Conference. The WCAC was shortened to today's WCC in 1989.[14][15][16]

On October 1, 2024, Gonzaga announced that they would be moving to the Pac-12 Conference for all sports in 2026.[17]

Sports sponsored

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Baseball

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Main article: Gonzaga Bulldogs baseball

Men's basketball

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Main article: Gonzaga Bulldogs 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 100-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 a consistently strong team in men's college basketball, having played in 25 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.[by whom?]

Notable alumni of Gonzaga basketball players include Hall of Famer John Stockton, Domantas Sabonis, Rui Hachimura, Kelly Olynyk, Adam Morrison, Ronny Turiaf, Brandon Clarke, Zach Collins, Dan Dickau, Austin Daye, Robert Sacre, Richie Frahm, J. P. Batista, Jeremy Pargo, Blake Stepp, Paul Rogers, Corey Kispert, and Jalen Suggs.

Women's basketball

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Main article: Gonzaga Bulldogs women's basketball

Former teams

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Football

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Main article: Gonzaga Bulldogs football

Gonzaga last fielded a varsity football team 83 years ago in 1941.[18][19] From 1892 to 1941 (excluding having no teams from 1894 to 1895 & 1900 to 1906), Gonzaga went 129–99–20.

Head coaches
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Source:[36]

Boxing

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The university had a strong boxing program and shared the national title with Idaho in 1950 with a team composed of Carl Maxey, Eli Thomas, and Jim Reilly.[37][38] Both Maxey and Thomas were undefeated over the course of the season, and Thomas would go on to win the individual championship after another undefeated season the following year. All three were inducted into Gonzaga's Athletic Hall of Fame, with Maxey and Thomas being inducted in 1988 and Reilly in 1989. Gonzaga dropped the sport in 1952,[39] followed by Idaho in 1954, and the NCAA in 1960.[40] Football star Tony Canadeo boxed during his senior year in 1941 at 175 lb (79 kg)[41] and was named team captain.[42][43]

References

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  1. ^ "Chris Standiford Named Director of Athletics". Gonzaga University. Gonzaga Athletics. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  2. ^ "Origin of the Bulldogs Nickname". Gonzaga Bulldogs. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  3. ^ "Gonzaga Develops, Adopts a Fitting Fight Song". Gonzaga University News Service. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  4. ^ "Approved Primary & Secondary Athletic Logo Colors". Gonzaga University Visual Identity and Graphics Standards Guide (PDF). Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  5. ^ "Surprising Zags upset experts". Spokesman-Review. January 20, 1952. p. 1, sports.
  6. ^ May, Danny (February 12, 1960). "Zags beat Bobcats; Frank breaks mark". Spokesman-Review. p. 14.
  7. ^ "Zags eye play-off; lose to Portland five". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). February 25, 1958. p. 19.
  8. ^ "Bulldogs end season; fail in tourney try". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). March 3, 1958. p. 15.
  9. ^ "Jack Friel named Big Sky executive". Spokesman-Review. June 8, 1963. p. 8.
  10. ^ "Gonzaga to change league". Spokane Daily Chronicle. October 5, 1978. p. 33.
  11. ^ Brown, Butch (October 6, 1978). "It's official: Zags go WCAC". Spokesman-Review. p. 29.
  12. ^ "Zags leave Big Sky; accepted into WCAC". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 6, 1978. p. 5B.
  13. ^ "Nevada-Reno added to Big Sky". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. May 26, 1979. p. 5B.
  14. ^ "Transactions: College". Times Daily. (Florence, Alabama). Associated Press. July 14, 1989. p. 2B.
  15. ^ "WCAC shortens its name to West Coast Conference". Spokane Chronicle. July 14, 1989. p. B5.
  16. ^ West Coast Conference Official Athletics Site – On Campus Archived March 9, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Wccsports.cstv.com (July 1, 2011).
  17. ^ https://gozags.com/news/2024/10/1/gonzaga-athletics-gonzaga-accepts-invitation-to-join-pac-12-conference.aspx
  18. ^ "Kennedy scores on Gonzaga as Cougars romp through to lopsided victory". Spokane Daily Chronicle. November 24, 1941. p. 12.
  19. ^ "Gonzaga Bulldogs". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2012.
  20. ^ "Gonzaga seeks mentor to succeed Gus Dorais". Spokane Daily Chronicle. February 3, 1925. p. 16.
  21. ^ "Gonzaga coach to be Detroit mentor". The Evening Record. (Ellensburg, Washington). Associated Press. February 4, 1925. p. 8.
  22. ^ a b Thorpe, Ellsworth (September 11, 1933). "Famous gridiron men developed at Gonzaga". Spokane Daily Chronicle. p. 10.
  23. ^ "Clipper Smith works his outfit overtime". Spokane Daily Chronicle. October 28, 1925. p. 18.
  24. ^ "Clipper Smith may change job". Spokane Daily Chronicle. May 18, 1929. p. 1.
  25. ^ "Clipper Smith heading south". Spokane Daily Chronicle. May 30, 1929. p. 14.
  26. ^ "Mathews leaves post at Gonzaga". Spokane Daily Chronicle. April 26, 1930. p. 1, sports.
  27. ^ Missildine, Harry (January 27, 1976). "Flaherty named to pro grid hall". Spokesman-Review. p. 11.
  28. ^ "Ray Flaherty, Gonzaga coach". Spokesman-Review. May 4, 1930. p. 1, sports.
  29. ^ "Gonzaga coach ready for work". Spokesman-Review. August 18, 1930. p. 10.
  30. ^ "Eight football games on Gonzaga's 1931 grid schedule; new coach arrives". Spokane Daily Chronicle. February 23, 1931. p. 14.
  31. ^ "Mike Pecarovich goes to Loyola". Spokesman-Review. February 4, 1939. p. 14.
  32. ^ "Unofficial word says Hunton will be dismissed at Gonzaga". Spokane Daily Chronicle. April 8, 1942. p. 17.
  33. ^ "Gonzaga selects John Hunton to handle university football coach job". Spokesman-Review. March 7, 1939. p. 12.
  34. ^ "Puggy Hunton will continue as head man of the Gonzaga University football machine". Spokane Daily Chronicle. November 15, 1939. p. 15.
  35. ^ Stark, C.R. Jr. (September 8, 1943). "Gonzaga squad may be formed". Spokesman-Review. p. 9.
  36. ^ "Gonzaga: coaching records". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on February 7, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
  37. ^ "The bond was boxing". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Associated Press. March 16, 1999. p. 1B.
  38. ^ "Maxey, Carl (1924-1997)".
  39. ^ "Gonzaga drops mitt sport; may resume in the future". Spokane Daily Chronicle. August 20, 1952. p. 17.
  40. ^ Kershner, Jim (March 15, 1999). "Crowning the kings of swing". Spokesman-Review. p. A1.
  41. ^ "Canadeo makes ring debut soon; to captain Bulldogs". Spokane Daily Chronicle. February 5, 1941. p. 15.
  42. ^ "Canadeo shows boxing promise". Spokane Daily Chronicle. February 14, 1941. p. 12.
  43. ^ "Gonzaga opens boxing season December 12". Spokane Daily Chronicle. December 5, 1941. p. 11.
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