San Diego State Aztecs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| San Diego State University Aztecs | |
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| University | San Diego State University |
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| Conference | Mountain West Conference |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletics director | Jeff Schemmel |
| Location | San Diego, CA |
| Varsity teams | 17 |
| Football stadium | Qualcomm Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Cox Arena |
| Mascot | Aztec Warrior |
| Nickname | Aztecs |
| Fight song | |
| Colors | Scarlet and Black
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| Homepage | Official Athletics website |
The San Diego State Aztecs are the collegiate athletics and sports teams for San Diego State University (SDSU).
San Diego State has organized facilities for baseball, basketball, football, golf, gymnastics, soccer, tennis, track, softball, rowing (crew), water polo, swimming, diving, and women's volleyball.
The Aztecs compete in NCAA Division I (I-A for football). Its primary conference is the Mountain West Conference; its women's water polo team participates in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and its men's soccer team participates as an Associate Member of the Pacific-10 Conference (the "Pac-10" Conference). Crew's championship regatta is the WIRA (Western International Rowing Association).
News reports (especially on local radio) often mention "Montezuma Mesa" or "news from the mesa" when discussing San Diego State-related sports events. The San Diego State campus is known as "Montezuma Mesa," as the university is situated on a mesa overlooking Mission Valley and is located at the intersection of Montezuma Road and College Avenue in the city of San Diego, California.
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[edit] Purpose
- San Diego State President Dr. Stephen L. Weber's discussion of the Importance of Athletics
"The mission of the San Diego State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Team is to provide student-athletes the finest educational and athletic experience. We develop the leaders of tomorrow by instilling the core values and work ethic that inspires a passion for success in the classroom, on the field of competition, in the community, and in all future endeavors."
[edit] School colors
The school colors are scarlet (red) and black.
[edit] Sports facilities
A detailed listing of the San Diego State athletics facilities, including photographs and descriptions, is found here: San Diego State Athletics Facilities.
- Aztec Athletic Center
- Cox Arena
- Qualcomm Stadium
- Mission Bay Aquatic Center (MBAC)
- Tony Gwynn Stadium
- Peterson Gymnasium
- Aztec Aquaplex (recent news article)
- San Diego State Sports Deck
- San Diego State Softball Stadium
- San Diego State Tennis Stadium
- San Diego State Practice Facility & Fields
[edit] Championships
Total as of 2006 = three (3)
- 1941 - The men's basketball team won the NAIB (now NAIA) Division I National Championship in 1941.
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- NOTE: In 1957[1], San Diego State left the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and moved into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the top intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States
- San Diego State won the "Small College" football championship in 1966, having a perfect 11-0-0 season.
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- NOTE: In 1969, San Diego State left the Small College Division of the NCAA and moved into Division I
- 1973 - The men's volleyball team won the NCAA Championship in 1973, but the team has since been disbanded.
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- One of the team stars was Chris Marlowe.
- 1987 - The men's rugby union team (a club sport) won the College rugby national championship in 1987.
[edit] Highlights
[edit] Football
San Diego State University SDSU has an esteemed college football team. San Diego State is part of the highest level of American collegiate football, NCAA "Football Bowl Subdivision" of Division 1 (which was formerly known as Division 1 A). Traditionally, the team, clad in all-black uniforms and red helmets, has played its home games at night, a tradition started during the days of former head coach Don Coryell before the stadium was even opened. There have been attempts in the past to change from "The Look," but all have led to poor play by the Aztecs and a reversion back to the traditional look. Football revenues have been down recently.[2]
Current Head Coach: Chuck Long
San Diego State athletics have contributed richly to the National Football League (NFL). Distinguished NFL head coaches were proud members of the Aztec Football program:
- Joe Gibbs - Hall of Fame NFL head coach of the Washington Redskins,NASCAR team owner, former Aztec player and assistant coach.
- John Madden - Hall of Fame AFL/NFL head coach of the Oakland Raiders, former Aztec assistant coach.
- Don Coryell - Former NFL head coach of the San Diego Chargers, former Aztec head coach.
- Ted Tollner - Former NFL offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers, former Aztec head coach.
- Herman Edwards - NFL head coach of the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, former Aztec player.
- John Fox - NFL head coach of the Carolina Panthers, former Aztec player.
Some of the more famous San Diego State students to later star in the NFL are:
- Marshall Faulk - 7-time Pro Bowl running back for the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams.
- Dan McGwire - QB was the 16th pick in 1991 by the Seattle Seahawks, playing six years in the NFL. Dan is the brother of former Major League slugger Mark McGwire.
- Brian Sipe - NFL quarterback; part of the "Kardiac Kids" for the Cleveland Browns.
- Isaac Curtis - 4-time Pro Bowl wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals.
- See List of San Diego State Football Players
- Kevin O'Connell - Highest drafted player of most recent NFL Draft. Star quarterback of the team and starter four years from 2004-2007.
The football team plays at Qualcomm Stadium (formerly known as "Jack Murphy" Stadium). See also The Q.
[edit] Basketball
Current Head Coach (men's team): Steve Fisher
Current Head Coach (women's team): Beth Burns
San Diego State has both men's and women's college basketball teams. Some of the more famous San Diego State students to later star in the NBA are: In 1941 the Aztecs won the NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.
- Michael Cage - All star NBA player with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Philadelphia 76ers, and New Jersey Nets.
- Marcus Slaughter - Miami Heat
The basketball teams play at Cox Arena (see also Cox Arena website) on the San Diego State campus.
The team has had moderate success since Fisher was hired as head coach. The Aztecs won the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament in 2002 and 2006, earning automatic bids to the NCAA basketball tournament, although both times the Aztecs lost to strong Big Ten Conference teams in the first round (Illinois in 2002 and Indiana in 2006). The Aztecs were also the regular season Mountain West champions in 2006. On March 19, 2007, a new National Invitation Tournament (NIT) attendance record was set, at 26,752, in a loss in the second-round men's basketball game against Syracuse.
[edit] Baseball
Current Head Coach: Tony Gwynn
Some of the more famous Sand Diego State students to later star in MLB are:
The baseball team plays at Smith Field in Tony Gwynn Stadium on the San Diego State campus, named for famous San Diego State baseball and basketball alumnus, and Baseball Hall Of Fame member Tony Gwynn.
[edit] Soccer
Current Head Coach (men's team): Lev Kirshner
Current Head Coach (women's team): Michael Giuliano
Some of the more famous San Diego State students soccer stars are:
- Marcelo Balboa
- Jimmy Conrad
- Kevin Crow
- Tally Hall
- Eric Wynalda
- Dean Wurzberger - head coach of the University of Washington men's soccer team from 1992-present
- Carlos Menjivar
The men's and women's soccer teams play at Sports Deck on the San Diego State campus. The women compete in the Mountain West Conference while the men compete in the Pacific Ten Conference (Pac-10)
In 1987, the San Diego State men's soccer team lost in the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship finals by a score of 0-2 to Clemson.
[edit] Aztec Hall Of Fame Inductees
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1988 |
1996 |
[edit] Spirit
San Diego State's athletic teams are nicknamed "Aztecs", and its current mascot is the Aztec Warrior, historically referred to as "Monty - Montezuma".
- ALMA MATER
- Hail Montezuma
- We with loyal hearts our homeage pay:
- Proud working and glorying,
- In the spirit of the Aztec name.
- To thee, San Diego
- And the fond Traditions old and new
- A tribute raise of lasting praise and steadfast faith,
- Hail Montezuma.
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- Hail Montezuma
- We salute thy glorious destiny:
- Far seeing in company days,
- Men and women strong who live in truth.
- To thee, San Diego
- And the Black and Scarlet we'll be true
- An echo comes from Aztec drums through all the years,
- Hail Montezuma!
- FIGHT SONG
- Fight on and on ye Aztec men,
- Sons of Montezuma,
- We will win again,
- Keep your spirits high,
- Never bow a knee,
- We will fight till victory.
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- Fight on and on ye Aztec men,
- Proudly raise your banners high,
- For it's the Red and Black,
- Hail to our team,
- San Diego Aztecs fight!
- Cheerleading
- Students
- Monty's Maniacs
- The Show is the loud and vocal lower rows of the student section at men's basketball games. They are known for heckling visiting teams and taunting them with the large celebrity faces. Shownana, a student dressed in a banana costume, has become a celebrity at games.
- Monty's Maniacs
[edit] Band
The San Diego State Marching Aztecs, and Pep and Varsity Bands are often seen at many sporting events including Football, Basketball and even Volleyball.
[edit] Other
San Diego State University is sometimes referred to as the "Montezuma Mesa" because of its location upon a hill overlooking Mission Valley.
[edit] Notable athletes
- Marcelo Balboa, World Cup and Major League Soccer (MLS) soccer star
- Bud Black, former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher and current manager of the San Diego Padres
- Jim Campbell, former MLB pitcher
- Isaac Curtis - former National Football League (NFL) receiver
- Jeff DaVanon, MLB baseball player (Arizona Diamondbacks)
- Fred Dryer, actor-producer and former NFL player
- Herm Edwards, current Kansas City Chiefs head coach
- Marshall Faulk, NFL star and broadcaster
- John Fox, current Carolina Panthers head coach
- Mark Grace, retired MLB player and World Series Champion
- Tony Gwynn, current Baseball Hall of Famer (and current San Diego State baseball Head Coach)
- Az-Zahir Hakim, NFL wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins
- Armen Keteyian, Sports Journalist, HBO Sports, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
- Kirk Morrison, current Oakland Raiders starting linebacker
- Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, current Green Bay Packers player
- Joe Gibbs, current NFL head coach of the Washington Redskins and NASCAR team owner.
- Travis Lee, MLB player with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
- Chris Marlowe, Sportscaster, former Olympic volleyball player
- Haven Moses, former NFL receiver with Denver Broncos
- Kassim Osgood, San Diego Chargers receiver
- Noel Prefontaine, Toronto Argonauts kicker
- Jimmy Raye, former NFL player
- Darnay Scott, former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
- Don Shaw, former MLB pitcher
- Brian Sipe - former NFL quarterback
- Webster Slaughter, former American football wide receiver
- Dave Smith, former MLB pitcher
- Carl Weathers, Actor/former NFL player, Apollo Creed
- Eric Wynalda, well-known World Cup and MLS soccer star, and current ABC Sports broadcaster
- Jeanne Zelasko, Sports Journalist, Fox Sports
[edit] Notes
- ^ NAIA Championship History, San Diego State's last NAIA tournament appearance was in 1956.
- ^ Schrotenboer, Brent (February 22, 2008), “Football shy of dollar goal at San Diego State”, San Diego Union-Tribune, <http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080222/news_1s22azbudget.html>. Retrieved on 25 February 2008
[edit] External links
- San Diego State Aztecs is at coordinates Coordinates:
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