University of Washington

The University of Washington, founded in 1861, is a major public research university in the Seattle metropolitan area. Also known as Washington or UW (pronounced U Dub) and locally as The U, it is the largest university in the Pacific Northwest and one of the oldest public institutions of higher education on the West Coast of the United States. The university is made up of three campuses with its flagship campus in Seattle's University District, and upper division campuses in Tacoma and Bothell. The University of Washington has been coined as one of the "Public Ivies" - a public university that provides an "ivy league" collegiate experience.

Athletics and traditions

UW students, sports teams, and alumni are called Washington Huskies. The husky was selected as the school mascot by student committee in 1922. It replaced the "Sun Dodger," an abstract reference to the local weather that was quickly dropped in favor of something more tangible. The costumed "Harry the Husky" performs at sporting and special events, and a live Alaskan Malamute has traditionally led the UW football team onto the field at the start of games. The school colors of purple and gold were adopted in 1892 by student vote. The choice was purportedly inspired by the first stanza of Lord Byron's The Destruction of Sennacherib:

Related Topics:
Washington Huskies - Husky - 1922 - Local weather - Alaskan Malamute - Football - Purple - Gold - 1892 - Stanza - Lord Byron - The Destruction of Sennacherib

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The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,

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And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;

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And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,

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And the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.

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The sports teams participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I-A and in the Pacific Ten Conference. Among its facilities are Husky Stadium (football and track & field), the Bank of America Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion (basketball), the Nordstrom Tennis Center and the Conibear Shellhouse] (rowing).

Related Topics:
National Collegiate Athletic Association - Pacific Ten Conference - Husky Stadium - Bank of America - Hec Edmundson Pavilion - Nordstrom

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The University football team is traditionally competitive, having won the national championship in the 1991 season, to go along with eight Rose Bowl victories and an Orange Bowl title as of 2004. From 1907 to 1917, Washington football teams were unbeaten in 63 consecutive games, an NCAA record. The Apple Cup game is an annual game against cross-state rival Washington State University that was first contested in 1900. Tyrone Willingham is the current head football coach.

Related Topics:
1991 - Rose Bowl - Orange Bowl - 2004 - 1907 - 1917 - NCAA - Apple Cup - Washington State University - 1900 - Tyrone Willingham

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The basketball team has enjoyed recent success. Under coach Lorenzo Romar, the team has been to the NCAA tournament twice, and secured a #1 seed in 2004.

Related Topics:
Basketball - Lorenzo Romar - NCAA tournament - 2004

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Rowing is a longstanding tradition at the University of Washington dating back to 1901. The Washington men's crew gained international prominence by winning the gold medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, defeating the German and Italian crews much to the chagrin of Adolf Hitler who was in attendance. In 1958, the men's crew furthered their lore with a shocking win over Leningrad Trud's world champion rowers in Moscow, resulting in the first American sporting victory on Soviet soil, and certainly the first time a Russian crowd gave any American team a standing ovation during the Cold War. In all, the Washington men's crew have won 12 national titles, 15 Olympic gold medals, two silver and five bronze. The women have 11 national titles and two Olympic gold medals.

Related Topics:
1901 - Gold medal - 1936 Summer Olympics - Berlin - German - Italian - Adolf Hitler - 1958 - Leningrad - Trud - Moscow - American - Soviet - Russian - Cold War

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The student newspaper is The Daily of the University of Washington, usually referred to as simply The Daily.

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