University of San Francisco

Athletics

The university mascot is the Don and USF's athletic teams compete in NCAA Division I with the West Coast Conference. USF is one of the charter members of the WCC, along with Santa Clara University and Saint Mary's College of California. USF's athletic teams were previously known as the Gray Fog.

Related Topics:
Don - NCAA Division I - West Coast Conference - Santa Clara University - Saint Mary's College of California

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Basketball

USF is best known for its basketball program. The men's basketball team have won three national titles: the 1949 NIT under Pete Newell, and the 1955 and 1956 NCAA championship under Phil Woolpert. After shutting down briefly from 1982 to 1985, the program has steadily progressed, returning to the NCAA tournament in 1998 under Phil Mathews and earning a 2005 NIT berth under present coach Jessie Evans.

Related Topics:
1949 - NIT - Pete Newell - 1955 - 1956 - NCAA - Phil Woolpert - 1982 - 1985 - 1998 - 2005

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Women's basketball also experienced recent successes, including appearances in the NCAA women's tournament in 1995, 1996, and 1997 and a WNIT berth in 2002. The 1996 season represented their best ever, as the women's team made it into the tournament's Sweet Sixteen. The team is currently coached by former star and alumna Mary Hile-Nepfel.

Related Topics:
NCAA women's tournament - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 2002 - Sweet Sixteen

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Men's Soccer

Men's soccer is USF's most successful program, earning five national titles, including a co-championship with Penn State in 1949. The program's successes came under alumnus Steve Negoesco, who coached from 1962 to 2000 and led the team to 540 wins and four national championships (1966, 1975, 1976, 1980). Under Negoesco's successor, alumnus Erik Visser, the men's team earned the 2004 WCC title and their first NCAA berth in a decade.

Related Topics:
National titles - Penn State - 1962 - 2000 - 1966 - 1975 - 1976 - 1980 - 2004

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Alejandro Toledo, the current president of Peru, played for USF on a partial scholarship.

Related Topics:
Alejandro Toledo - Peru

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Others

• The 1951 USF football team has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the few undefeated college teams in history not to be invited to a postseason bowl game, because USF included African-American players on their team in a time when this was not a widely accepted practice in college football. The school dropped football soon thereafter.
• The women's volleyball team earned its first NCAA tournament berth in 2003, under coach Jeff Nelson. Women's volleyball finished the season with a 23-7 record and placed four players in the all-conference team.
• 2005 was a banner year for the baseball program, as it finished with a 38-18 record (the best in team history), placed eight players in the all-conference team and earned Nino Giarrantano coach of the year honors.
• USF also won the 1949 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship, led by Harry Likas and Harry Roche. Likas also won the 1948 individual men's title.