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Minnesota Golden Gophers
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Everything about The Minnesota Golden Gophers totally explainedThe Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and wrestling. Women's-specific sports include rowing, soccer, softball, and volleyball. Joel Maturi has been the Athletic Director since 2002.
In men's and women's ice hockey, the Gophers belong to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. In all other sports, they belong to the Big Ten Conference. Most of the facilities that the teams use for training and competitive play are located on the East Bank of the Minneapolis campus. There are arenas for men and women basketball ( Williams Arena) as well as hockey ( Mariucci Arena and Ridder Arena). A notable exception is the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, a mile from the East Bank across Interstate 35W, where the Gophers will play their home football games until 2009, when TCF Bank Stadium is planned to open.
Cheerleaders, the Dance Team, the University of Minnesota Marching Band and the university's pep band are also part of the university's athletic department; they're present at events for basketball, hockey, football, and volleyball.
During the 2006-2007 academic year, the Golden Gophers wrestling team won the NCAA national championship and the Big Ten team title. The Golden Gophers also won conference championships in men's hockey, men's golf, women's rowing, men's swimming and diving, and women's indoor track and field.
National championships
- Football (6): » 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960
- Men's Basketball (2): » 1902, 1919
- Men's Ice Hockey (5): » 1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003
- Women's Ice Hockey (3): » 2000, 2004, 2005
- Baseball (3): » 1956, 1960, 1964
- Men's Golf (1): » 2002
- Men's Outdoor Track and Field (1): » 1948
- Wrestling (3): » 2001, 2002, 2007
Notes: With the exception of football, national championships are awarded by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA itself doesn't award a championship for Division I-A football. The NCAA began awarding national championships for men's basketball in 1939; previous championships were retroactively awarded by the Helms Athletic Foundation. The NCAA began awarding national championships for women's ice hockey in 2001; previous championships were awarded by the American Women's College Hockey Alliance.
Traditions
Maroon and Gold
In 1880, the University of Minnesota was preparing for spring graduation. For the previous 29 years, different graduation colors were used every ceremony. In spring 1880, President Folwell began a tradition of common school colors at the University. He asked an English instructor, Mrs. Augusta Smith, to select proper colors to use for graduation ribbons and other occasions. She chose maroon and gold, which made a favorable impression on the students and faculty in 1880. As the years passed and without any kind of formal action, maroon and gold became the official school colors.
The "Golden" Gophers
The Gopher mascot is a tradition as old as the state. Minnesota was tabbed the “Gopher State” in 1857 after a satirizing cartoon, depicting nine Gophers with the heads of local politicians pulling a locomotive, was published. The story was over legislative action for a $5 million railroad proposal in western Minnesota. Later, the University picked up the nickname.
The “Golden” adjective hasn't always been a part of the Gopher nickname. During the 1930s, the Gophers wore gold jerseys and pants. Legendary KSTP-AM radio announcer Halsey Hall coined the term “Golden Gophers” in reference to the team’s all-gold attire on the field. From 1932 through 1941, Minnesota compiled an impressive record, losing only 12 games and winning seven Big Ten titles and five national championships—a true “golden” decade of Gopher football.
School songs
School songs for the university include Minnesota Rouser,
Minnesota March,
Go Gopher Victory,
Our Minnesota,
Minnesota Fight,
Hail! Minnesota, and the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
Football
National Championships (6): » 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960
Big Ten Conference Championships (18): » 1900, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1915, 1927, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1960, 1967
Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the Northwest championships (2): » 1892, 1893
Bowl Games (11): » Rose – 1961, 1962
Hall of Fame – 1977 » Independence – 1985
Liberty – 1986 » Sun – 1999, 2003
MicronPC.com – 2000 » Music City – 2002, 2004, 2005
Insight – 2006
Bowl game victories: 1962 Rose, 1985 Independence, 2002 Music City, 2003 Sun, 2004 Music City
Traveling trophies
The Little Brown Jug – Accidentally left in Minnesota back in 1903 by Michigan coach Fielding Yost, it's painted with the victories of the two teams.
Floyd of Rosedale – Since 1935 the Gophers and the Iowa Hawkeyes have fought to win this bronze pig.
Paul Bunyan's Axe – Minnesota and the Wisconsin Badgers have passed this trophy back and forth since 1948, although it records the two teams' encounters since 1890.
Governor's Victory Bell – The newest of the four trophies, the bell was created to commemorate the 1993 entrance of Penn State's Nittany Lions into the Big Ten.
Men's basketball
Big Ten Regular Season Championships (8): » 1906, 1907, 1911, 1917, 1919, 1937, 1972, 1982, 1997
NCAA Tournament Appearances (6): » 1972, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2005
Sweet 16 Appearances (3): » 1982, 1989, 1990
NIT Appearances (10): » 1973, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008
NIT Championships (1): » 1993
Note: A 1997 Big Ten regular season championship, NCAA Tournament appearances in 1994, 1995, and 1997 (Final Four), and NIT appearances in 1996 and 1998 (Championship) were vacated due to NCAA sanctions.
Women's basketball
NCAA Tournament Appearances (7): » 1994, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008
Sweet 16 Appearances (3): » 2003, 2004, 2005
Final Four Appearances (1): » 2004
Men's ice hockey
National Championships (2 AAU, 5 NCAA): » 1929, 1940, 1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003
WCHA Regular Season Championships (12): » 1953, 1954, 1970, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1997, 2006, 2007
WCHA Tournament Championships (14): » 1961, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2007
NCAA Frozen Four Appearances (19): » 1953, 1954, 1961, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2005
Women's ice hockey
National Championships (3): » 2000 (AWCHA), 2004, 2005
WCHA Regular Season Championships (4): » 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005
WCHA Tournament Championships (3): » 2002, 2004, 2005
NCAA Frozen Four Appearances (5): » 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Baseball
National Championships (3): » 1956, 1960, 1964
Big Ten Regular Season Championships (21): » 1933, 1935, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004
Big Ten Tournament Championships (7): » 1982, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1998, 2001, 2004
Men's cross country
Big Ten Team Championships (4): » 1909, 1914, 1964, 1969
Women's cross country
Big Ten Team Championships (1): » 2007
Golf
Men's golf
National Championships (1): » 2002
Big Ten Team Championships (7): » 1929, 1938, 1963, 1972, 2002, 2003, 2007
Women's golf
Big Ten Team Championships (1): » 1989
Gymnastics
Men's gymnastics
Big Ten Team Championships (21): » 1903, 1907, 1910, 1925, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995
Women's gymnastics
Big Ten Team Championships (5): » 1988, 1989, 1991, 1998, 2006
Women's rowing
Big Ten Championships (1): » 2007
Women's soccer
Big Ten Championships (2): » 1995, 1997
Softball
Big Ten Regular Season Championships (3): » 1986, 1988, 1991
Big Ten Tournament Championships (1): » 1999
Spirit Squads
Dance Team
National Championships (4): » 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Swimming
Men's swimming
Big Ten Team Championships (9): » 1922, 1926, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007
Women's swimming
Big Ten Team Championships (3): » 1999, 2000, 2008
Men's tennis
Big Ten Team Championships (14): » 1910, 1911, 1912, 1918, 1932, 1933, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
Men's track
Outdoor track and field
National Championships (1): » 1948
Big Ten Team Championships (5): » 1949, 1968, 1998, 1999, 2003
Indoor track and field
Big Ten Team Championships (1): » 1998
Women's track
Outdoor track and field
Big Ten Team Championships (1): » 2006
Indoor track and field
Big Ten Team Championships (2): » 2007, 2008
Volleyball
Big Ten Championships (1): » 2002
NCAA Tournament Appearances (12): » 1989, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Sweet 16 Appearances (9): » 1989, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
Final Four Appearances (2): » 2003, 2004
Wrestling
National Championships (3): » 2001, 2002, 2007
Big Ten Team Championships (12): » 1910, 1912, 1913, 1941, 1957, 1959, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007
Notable athletes and coaches
Baseball
Brent Gates
Jack Hannahan
Paul Molitor
Denny Neagle
Greg Olson
Glen Perkins
Robb Quinlan
Dick Siebert - coach
Terry Steinbach
Dave Winfield (also played basketball at Minnesota)
Dan Wilson
Matt Nohelty - Baseball Player
Basketball
Men's
Walter Bond - Former NBA player, and motivational speaker
Willie Burton - Former NBA player
Louis 'Doc' Cooke, coach (1897-1924)
Clem Haskins - coach
Kris Humphries - NBA player
Bobby Jackson - NBA player
Voshon Lenard - Former NBA player
Kevin McHale - Basketball Hall of Famer and current vice president of operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves
Joel Przybilla - Center, Portland Trail Blazers
Flip Saunders - Head coach, Detroit Pistons
Tubby Smith
Mychal Thompson - Former NBA player
Women's
Janel McCarville - Center, New York Liberty
Linda Roberts
Carol Ann Shudlick
Lindsay Whalen - Point guard, Connecticut Sun
Emily Fox
Linda Hill-MacDonald - Former head coach
FootballPlayers
Asad Abdul-Khaliq - Quarterback, Chicago Rush
Marion Barber Jr. - Former NFL running back
Marion Barber III - Running back, Dallas Cowboys
Bobby Bell - Pro Football Hall of Famer
Phil Bengtson - Former NFL head coach
Bernie Bierman - Member of the College Football Hall of Fame
Jack Brewer - Safety, Arizona Cardinals
Win Brockmeyer - Former high school football head coach
Tom Brown- 1960 Outland Trophy winner, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
Gino Cappelletti - Former AFL Wide Receiver/Placekicker, AFL all-time leading scorer
Tyrone Carter - Defensive back, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1999 Jim Thorpe Award winner
Tony Dungy - Quarterback for U in the mid 1970s Former NFL safety, current head coach of the Indianapolis Colts
Carl Eller - Pro Football Hall of Famer
Greg Eslinger - Center, Denver Broncos, 2005 Outland Trophy and Rimington Trophy winner
George Gibson - Former NFL offensive guard and head coach
Paul Giel - Member of the College Football Hall of Fame also was U's AD from 1972 to 1988 and played Major League Baseball
Bud Grant - Pro Football Hall of Famer
Ben Hamilton - Offensive guard, Denver Broncos
Mike Hohensee - Head coach, Chicago Rush
Herb Joesting - Member of the College Football Hall of Fame
Laurence Maroney - Running back, New England Patriots
Bobby Marshall - One of the first two African-American to play in the NFL, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
Karl Mecklenburg - Former NFL linebacker
Bronko Nagurski - Pro Football Hall of Famer (charter member), member of the College Football Hall of Fame
Leo Nomellini - Pro Football Hall of Famer
Derek Rackley - Tight end, Atlanta Falcons
Darrell Reid - Defensive Tackle, Indianapolis Colts
Karon Riley - Defensive end, Washington Redskins
Mark Setterstrom - Offensive guard, St. Louis Rams
Bruce Smith - 1941 Heisman Trophy winner, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
Sandy Stephens - First African-American major-college All-American quarterback
Thomas Tapeh - Fullback, Minnesota Vikings
Ryan Thelwell - Wide Receiver, British Columbia Lions
Rick Upchurch - Former NFL wide receiver
Ben Utecht - Tight end, Indianapolis Colts
Bud Wilkinson - Member of the College Football Hall of Fame
Coaches
Bernie Bierman
Fritz Crisler
William Heffelfinger
Wesley Fesler
George Hauser
Lou Holtz
Glen Mason
William H. Spaulding
Clarence Spears
Jim Wacker
Murray Warmath
Henry L. Williams
Tim Brewster
Golf
Tom Lehman
James McLean
Gymnastics
Marie Roethlisberger
John Roethlisberger
Hockey
Men's
Keith Ballard
Herb Brooks
Neal Broten
Kris Chucko
Ben Clymer
Bob Johnson
Trent Klatt
Jordan Leopold
John Mariucci
John Mayasich
Ryan Potulny
Paul Martin
Thomas Vanek
Phil Kessel
Women's
Natalie Darwitz
Krissy Wendell
Track and Field
Men's
Phil Lundin, Head Coach
Scott Bennett, Assistant Coach
Steve Plasencia, Assistant Coach
Roy Griak, Administrative Assistant
NCAA Champions Indoor
Ron Backes 1986 (Shot Put, 68-11 1/4)
Martin Eriksson 1993 (Pole Vault, 18-0 1/2)
Vesa Rantanen 1998 (Pole Vault, 18-2 1/2)
NCAA Champions Outdoor
Jack DeField 1942 (Pole Vault, 14-1)
Bob Fitch 1942 (Discus, 164-8 1/2)
Jack DeField 1943 (Pole Vault, 14-1)
Fortune Gordien 1946 (Discus, 153-10 3/4)
Fortune Gordien 1947 (Discus, 173-3)
Fortune Gordien 1948 (Discus, 164-0 1/4)
Lloyd LaMois 1948 (Triple Jump, 45-10)
Garry Bjorklund 1971 (Six Mile, 27:43.1)
Adam Steele 2003 (400m, 44.57)
Current Roster of the Minnesota Gophers Track & Field team 2007-2008
Wrestling
Shelton Benjamin - Current World Wrestling Entertainment Superstar
Ric Flair - Current World Wrestling Entertainment Superstar, former WCW and NWA star. 16 time former world champion.
Verne Gagne - Owner of the defunct American Wrestling Association and its former Champion
Cole Konrad - 2 time undefeated, NCAA individual champion at 285 lbs
Brock Lesnar - Former World Wrestling Entertainment and New Japan Pro Wrestling World Champion.
Dustin Schlatter - 79-2 record in two seasons with the Gophers
Athletic directors
1922-30 Fred Leuhring
1930-32 Herbert O. (Fritz) Crisler
1932-41 Frank G. McCormick
1941-45 Lou Keller (acting)
1945-50 Frank G. McCormick
1950-63 Ike J. Armstrong
1963-71 Marshall J. Ryman
1971-88 Paul Giel (men's)
1974-76 Belmar Gunderson (women's)
1976-81 Vivian M. Barfield (women's)
1981-82 M. Catherine Mathison (women's interim)
1982-88 Merrily Dean Baker (women's)
1988-89 Holger Christiansen (men's interim)
1988-2002 Chris Voelz (women's)
1989-91 Rick Bay (men's)
1991-92 Dan Meinert (men's interim)
1992-95 McKinley Boston (men's)
1995-99 Mark Dienhart (men's)
1999-2002 Tom Moe (men's)
2002-present Joel Maturi
From 1974 to 2002, there were separate athletic departments for men and women's sports.
FacilitiesCurrent facilities
Baseline Tennis Center — tennis
Bierman Track and Field Stadium — track
Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium — women's soccer
Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome — baseball, football
Jane Sage Cowles Stadium — softball
Les Bolstad Golf Course — golf
Mariucci Arena — men's hockey
Ridder Arena — women's hockey
Siebert Field — baseball
Sports Pavilion — gymnastics, volleyball, wrestling
Williams Arena — basketball, wrestling
U of M Boathouse — rowing
University Aquatic Center — swimming and diving
University Fieldhouse
Former facilities
Northrop Field (1899-1923)
Memorial Stadium (1924-1981)
Future facilities
TCF Bank Stadium — football (scheduled to open 2009)
Further Information
Get more info on 'Minnesota Golden Gophers'.
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