Gonzaga Bulldogs
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| Gonzaga Bulldogs | |
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| University | Gonzaga University |
|---|---|
| Conference | West Coast Conference |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletics director | Mike Roth |
| Location | Spokane, WA |
| Varsity teams | 16 |
| Football stadium | Patterson Baseball Complex |
| Basketball arena | McCarthey Athletic Center |
| Mascot | Spike the Bulldog |
| Nickname | Bulldogs (official)/Zags |
| Fight song | |
| Colors | White and Blue
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| Homepage | Gonzaga Athletics |
The Gonzaga Bulldogs (also known unofficially as the Zags) are the athletic teams at Gonzaga University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Gonzaga University is a member of the West Coast Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I. The athletic program comprises 8 women's sports: volleyball, basketball, soccer, tennis, cross country, track, crew and golf; and 8 men's sports: basketball, baseball, soccer, golf, tennis, cross country, track and crew. The school also offers various intramural sports.
At one time, Gonzaga aspired to be the "Notre Dame of the West" and 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. Curiously, although the school's official mascot is the Bulldog, marketing materials and television announcers often insist upon using the term "Zags" as a mascot, which puts the school in the unique position of having a mascot sharing a name with the school, hence the "Gonzaga Zags."
[edit] Men's basketball
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This article is related to a current or soon-to-be current sports-related event. For information on the topic, see 2007-08 Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. |
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.
Despite playing in a mid-major conference, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are generally considered to be a major program. Gonzaga is one of only nine schools to have reached each of the past nine NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournaments, and is the only school not from a major conference to do so.
Notable alumni of Gonzaga basketball include J. P. Batista, Dan Dickau, Richie Frahm, Adam Morrison, Paul Rogers, Blake Stepp, John Stockton and Ronny Turiaf.
