Arizona State University

Arizona State University (ASU) is one of the largest universities in terms of enrollment in the United States with a main campus student body of over 51,000. Founded in 1885 as a territorial normal school, the institution went through several name and purpose changes before becoming a state university in 1958.

Athletics

ASU is a member of the Pac-10 athletic

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conference. Athletes, students, and alumni of ASU are known as "Sun Devils," a nickname adopted in 1946; earlier nicknames were the Normals or the Owls and, later, the Bulldogs. The Sun Devil mascot, Sparky, was designed by Disney illustrator Bert Anthony. ASU's chief rival is the University of Arizona.

Related Topics:
1946 - Disney - Bert Anthony - University of Arizona

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ASU's football venue is named Sun Devil Stadium. Notable athletic alumni include baseball players Barry Bonds, Paul Lo Duca, Fernando Viña and Reggie Jackson, football players Jake Plummer, Todd Heap, Danny White, Terrell Suggs, Darren Woodson, and Pat Tillman, basketball player Byron Scott, golfer Phil Mickelson, and announcer Al Michaels.

Related Topics:
Sun Devil Stadium - Barry Bonds - Paul Lo Duca - Fernando Viña - Reggie Jackson - Jake Plummer - Todd Heap - Danny White - Terrell Suggs - Darren Woodson - Pat Tillman - Byron Scott - Phil Mickelson - Al Michaels

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ASU is arguably one of the most successful baseball programs in the country. They have won five national championships, the third most by any school, and have the third most alumni to ever play in Major League Baseball.

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ASU won national championships in men's archery 15 times, women's archery 21 times, mixed archery 20 times, men's badminton 13 times, women's badminton 17 times, mixed badminton 10 times, baseball 5 times, women's tennis 3 times, men's gymnastics once, men's track and field once, wrestling once, men's golf twice, women's golf 13 times, women's softball twice, and women's swimming and diving 7 times, for a total of 129 national championships. Additionally, the men's basketball team has participated in 12 NCAA tournaments and the football team won the Rose Bowl in 1986 as well as the Fiesta Bowl in 1982, 1975, 1973, 1972, and 1971.

Related Topics:
NCAA - Rose Bowl - 1986 - Fiesta Bowl - 1982 - 1975 - 1973 - 1972 - 1971

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Football

The Sun Devils played in the Border Conference between 1931 and 1961, before joining the Western Athletic Conference the following year. Led by legendary head coach Frank Kush, the Sun Devils posted a remarkable 62-9 record between 1970 and 1975, culminating in a 17-14 upset of the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1975 Fiesta Bowl.

Related Topics:
Border Conference - 1931 - 1961 - Western Athletic Conference - Frank Kush - 1970 - 1975 - Nebraska Cornhuskers

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In 1978, both ASU and the University of Arizona joined the Pacific Ten Conference, and in that year ASU celebrated with an emotional 20-7 victory over number-one-ranked University of Southern California.

Related Topics:
University of Arizona - University of Southern California

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The Sun Devils then began a slow decline, interrupted only briefly by victories in the 1983 Fiesta Bowl and 1987 Rose Bowl. After a 1987 Freedom Bowl victory over Air Force, the Sun Devils went a combined 43-44-1 between 1988 and 1995.

Related Topics:
1983 - 1987 - Freedom Bowl - Air Force

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In 1996, the Sun Devils went a surprising 11-1, highlighted by a 19-0 shutout of the number-one-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers in Tempe. ASU quarterback Jake Plummer led the Sun Devils, helping Arizona State into the Rose Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes. In a game with National Championship potential, the Sun Devils held a slim 17-14 lead with just under 1:47 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Sun Devils fell to Ohio State 20-17 in one of the most exciting Rose Bowl games ever.

Related Topics:
Nebraska Cornhuskers - Jake Plummer - Ohio State Buckeyes - National Championship - Ohio State

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Between 1997 and 2000, the Sun Devils underachieved greatly, leading to the dismissal of popular head football coach Bruce Snyder. The hiring of head coach Dirk Koetter from Boise State University gave the Sun Devils a charismatic leader with a penchant for molding strong quarterbacks.

Related Topics:
Football - Bruce Snyder - Dirk Koetter - Boise State University

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Arizona State began the Dirk Koetter era with a thud, falling to 4-7 in 2001. However, ASU improved to 8-6 in 2002, highlighted by the play of defensive end Terrell Suggs and wide receiver Shaun McDonald. Quarterback Andrew Walter emerged to pass for a staggering 3,877 yards and 28 touchdowns. The Sun Devils eventually lost a nailbiter to Kansas State University in the 2003 Holiday Bowl.

Related Topics:
Terrell Suggs - Shaun McDonald - Andrew Walter - Kansas State University - Holiday Bowl

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In 2004, the Sun Devils surprised nearly everyone, jumping out to a 5-0 record (including an impressive 44-7 victory over Iowa in Tempe). Andrew Walter led the suddenly resurgent Sun Devils, passing for 1,249 yards and 15 TDs through five games. This set up an attractive matchup between ASU and Southern California in Los Angeles on October 16, 2004, which they lost. After a dramatic come from behind victory over Stanford University and a win over Washington State in a game in which ASU retired Pat Tillman's number, they ended up losing to rival University of Arizona. ASU won the Vitalis Sun Bowl over Purdue, 27-23, on New Year's Eve.

Related Topics:
Andrew Walter - Southern California - Los Angeles - Sun Bowl

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Softball

One of the nation's founding programs, the Sun Devils are in their 39th season on the diamond in Tempe. ASU holds a 1,039-561-1 (.649) all-time record since the 1967 team posted a 5-1 record. ASU has recorded 23 season of at least 30 wins and six with 40 or more victories, including an all-time high of 46 in 2002. The Sun Devils have earned 16 postseason bids, fourth all-time in the Pac-10 Conference, and has made four trips to the College World Series. Prior to the current NCAA format, ASU went to seven WCWS, claiming back-to-back national tiles in 1972 and 1973.

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Arizona State's storied tradition of softball excellence continues to flourish under the tutelage of 16th-year head coach Linda Wells, one of the most prominent and successful coaches in NCAA history. Wells, who is currently the 7th-most successful active coach in NCAA Division I history with 907 victories (9th all-time), has led the Sun Devils to 11 (seven consecutive 1997-03) NCAA Regional appearances in 15 seasons, including two trips in the past six years to the College World Series (1999/2002). While at ASU, Wells has compiled a record of 554-394 and has had seven players earn a total of 12 All-American awards. Her 554 wins are the most victories all-time in ASU's storied 39-year history, surpassing coaching legend Mary Littlewood's 536. Wells earned the victory with a 3-2 win over Sacramento State (2/13/05). Wells' vast coaching experience and tireless work ethic has not gone unnoticed by the country or by the world as she was named the head coach of the Greek Olympic National Team that competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Wells has coached 35 career .300 hitters at ASU in her 15 seasons, averaging a combined .335 -- not an easy accomplishment in the pitching-rich Pac-10 where games are traditionally low scoring, and with the addition of three more All-Pac-10 selections in 2004, Wells has now coached 75 all-conference players during her tenure at Arizona State, averaging five All-Pac-10 selections every season.

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