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Minnesota Golden Gophers

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Goldy the Gopher is the team mascot
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Goldy the Gopher is the team mascot

The block "M" logo for Minnesota
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The block "M" logo for Minnesota

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. The Gophers compete in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's and women's ice hockey where the teams compete in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

The common sports between men and women include 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. Cheerleaders and a marching band or pep band are present at events for basketball, hockey, football, and volleyball. The cheerleaders and bands are also overseen by the university's athletic department. Joel Maturi has been the Athletic Director since 2002. The Minnesota Rouser is played at U of M sporting events.

Contents

Pageantry history

In 1880, the University of Minnesota was preparing for spring graduation. For the previous 29 years, different graduation colors were used every ceremony. In the spring of 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.

Gopher nickname

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.

\"Golden\" Gophers

The “Golden” adjective has not 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.

National titles

Football

1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960
  • Big Ten Conference Championships (18):
    • 1900, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1915, 1927, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1960, 1967
  • Bowl Games (11):
    • Rose – 1961, 1962
    Hall of Fame – 1977
    Independence – 1985
    Liberty – 1986
    Sun Bowl – 1999, 2003
    MicronPC.com – 2000
    Music City – 2002, 2004, 2005

    Traveling trophies

    Men's Basketball

    1906, 1907, 1911, 1917, 1919, 1937, 1972, 1982, 1997
  • Big Ten Tournament Championships (0):
    • 1972, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1997, 1999, 2005
    1982, 1989, 1990, 1997
    1997

    Men's Ice Hockey

    1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003
  • WCHA Regular Season Championships (11):
    • 1953, 1954, 1970, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1982, 1997, 2006
  • WCHA Tournament Championships (13):
    • 1961, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2003, 2004
  • 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

    2000 (AWCHA), 2004, 2005
  • WCHA Regular Season Championships (4):
    • 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005
  • WCHA Tournament Championships (3):
    • 2002, 2004, 2005

    Baseball

    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 Swimming

    2001, 2002, 2004, 2005

    Women's Swimming

    1999, 2000

    Famous Gopher athletes

    Baseball

    Basketball

    Men's

    Women's

    Football

    Golf

    Gymnastics

    Hockey

    Swimming

    Men's

    Women's

    Wrestling

    Facilities

    Sporting facilities include:

    Former facilities

    Future facilities

    External links

     

    From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
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