Washington University Bears
Encyclopedia
The Washington University Bears are the athletic teams of Washington University in St. Louis
, located in St. Louis, Missouri
. Washington University is currently a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
at the NCAA Division III level. The Bears compete in the University Athletic Association
(UAA).
The Bears have won 18 NCAA Division III Championships—one in men's tennis
(2008), two in men's basketball
(2008, 2009), five in women's basketball
(1998–2001, 2010), and ten in women's volleyball
(1989, 1991–1996, 2003, 2007, 2009) – and 139 UAA
titles in 15 different sports.
The Athletic Department is headed by John Schael who has served as director of athletics
since 1978. The 2000 Division III Central Region winner of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics/Continental Airlines Athletics Director of the Year award, Schael has helped orchestrate the Bears athletics transformation into one of the top departments in Division III.
Women's sports
90–68 to win the university's first men's basketball national championship. WUSTL lost to Virginia Wesleyan College
in the 2007 NCAA Final Four, but defeated Wooster
in the third place game. In 2009, Junior guard Aaron Thompson, senior forward Tyler Nading, and senior point guard Sean Wallis (also Jewish Sports Review
All-American) of the 2009 NCAA Division III National Champion men’s basketball team were named to the DIII News All-America Team, as announced by the publication. In 2007, Junior forward Troy Ruths earned first-team All-America honors by DIII News, third-team accolades by the NABC
, and honorable-mention honors by D3hoops.com
.
defending champions and has won four consecutive national titles from 1998–2001, during which time they established what was then the longest winning streak in NCAA women's basketball history, at 81 games. On March 20, 2010, WUSTL defeated Hope College
65–59 in the 2010 national championship game. Women's basketball has made the championship game three out of the past four years, losing to DePauw University
in 2007 55-52 and in 2009 losing to George Fox University
65-53. Women's basketball won the DIII championship four straight seasons from 1999-2001. The team is coached by Nancy Fahey, who has been at Wash U since 1986. In addition to the 5 National Championships under Fahey, the Bears have appeared in the NCAA DIII National Tournament 21 straight seasons from 1989-2010.
(NCRHA) national tournament in consecutive years from 2005–2008, finishing as high as 3rd in the nation for Division II in 2005.
appearances, the WUSTL's men's soccer program is one of the nation's most storied. Since the inception of the Division III tournament in 1974, the Bears have finished as national runners-up three times (1978, 1985, 1987). The Bears have also posted a 22–16–4 NCAA Tournament record (.585). The Bears have endured just three losing seasons out of the last 18, and none since 1994. Washington University has a 193–91–26 (.665) record over that span, including five NCAA Tournament appearances, two University Athletic Association
(UAA) titles and a Division III Final Four
appearance in 1997.
3–1 in the Championship game.
Washington University in St. Louis is home of Francis Field, site of the 1904 Summer Olympics
. Francis Field is also home of the Washington University in St. Louis Football, Soccer, and Track and Field
teams.
located on the Wash U. campus. The Field House serves as the home for Bears men's and women's basketball teams and the volleyball team.
was built for the 1904 World's Fair
and 1904 Summer Olympics
and is currently part of the Athletic Complex. It now houses Millstone pool, an Olympic sized pool constructed in 1985.
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
, located in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. Washington University is currently a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
at the NCAA Division III level. The Bears compete in the University Athletic Association
University Athletic Association
The University Athletic Association is an American athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. Member teams are located in Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, and New York...
(UAA).
The Bears have won 18 NCAA Division III Championships—one in men's tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
(2008), two in men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
(2008, 2009), five in women's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
(1998–2001, 2010), and ten in women's volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
(1989, 1991–1996, 2003, 2007, 2009) – and 139 UAA
University Athletic Association
The University Athletic Association is an American athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. Member teams are located in Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, and New York...
titles in 15 different sports.
The Athletic Department is headed by John Schael who has served as director of athletics
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
since 1978. The 2000 Division III Central Region winner of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics/Continental Airlines Athletics Director of the Year award, Schael has helped orchestrate the Bears athletics transformation into one of the top departments in Division III.
Sports
Men's sports- BaseballCollege baseballCollege baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
- BasketballCollege basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
- Cross countryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- FootballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
- SoccerCollege soccerCollege soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
- SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and DivingDivingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one... - TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
Women's sports
- BasketballCollege basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
- Cross countryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- SoccerCollege soccerCollege soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and DivingDivingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one... - TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
Basketball
In 2009 and 2007 both the men's and women's basketball teams made the Final Four.Men's Basketball
In Men's Basketball, WUSTL repeated as national champions in 2009, defeating Richard Stockton College 61–52. In 2008, WashU defeated AmherstAmherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
90–68 to win the university's first men's basketball national championship. WUSTL lost to Virginia Wesleyan College
Virginia Wesleyan College
Virginia Wesleyan College is a small Methodist liberal arts college on the border of Virginia Beach and Norfolk, Virginia offering a Bachelor of Arts in many disciplines and has added Bachelor of Science programs as well...
in the 2007 NCAA Final Four, but defeated Wooster
The College of Wooster
The College of Wooster is a private liberal arts college primarily known for its Independent study program. It has roughly 2,000 students and is located in Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio, United States . Founded in 1866 by the Presbyterian church as the University of Wooster, it was from its creation...
in the third place game. In 2009, Junior guard Aaron Thompson, senior forward Tyler Nading, and senior point guard Sean Wallis (also Jewish Sports Review
Jewish Sports Review
Jewish Sports Review is a bi-monthly magazine that was established in 1997. Its editors are Ephraim Moxson and Shel Wallman.The magazine identifies which star and professional athletes are Jewish...
All-American) of the 2009 NCAA Division III National Champion men’s basketball team were named to the DIII News All-America Team, as announced by the publication. In 2007, Junior forward Troy Ruths earned first-team All-America honors by DIII News, third-team accolades by the NABC
National Association of Basketball Coaches
The National Association of Basketball Coaches , headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is an American organization of college men's basketball coaches...
, and honorable-mention honors by D3hoops.com
D3hoops.com
D3hoops.com is a website that covers men's and women's NCAA Division III college basketball. D3hoops.com is most noted for its Top 25 poll of Division III schools, featured on the website of the NCAA. The site is run by Pat Coleman and has been featured in Sports Illustrated, ESPN Magazine, the...
.
Women's Basketball
Women's basketball is the current NCAA Women's Division III Basketball ChampionshipNCAA Women's Division III Basketball Championship
-Past winners of the NCAA Women's Division III Basketball Championship:-See also:*NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship*NCAA Women's Division II Basketball Championship*NAIA national women's basketball championship-References:...
defending champions and has won four consecutive national titles from 1998–2001, during which time they established what was then the longest winning streak in NCAA women's basketball history, at 81 games. On March 20, 2010, WUSTL defeated Hope College
Hope College
Hope College is a medium-sized , private, residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland, Michigan, a few miles from Lake Michigan. It was opened in 1851 as the Pioneer School by Dutch immigrants four years after the community was first settled...
65–59 in the 2010 national championship game. Women's basketball has made the championship game three out of the past four years, losing to DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
in 2007 55-52 and in 2009 losing to George Fox University
George Fox University
George Fox University is a Christian university of the liberal arts and sciences, and professional studies located in Newberg, Oregon, United States. Founded as a school for Quakers in 1885, the private school has more than 3,400 students combined between its main campus in Newberg and its centers...
65-53. Women's basketball won the DIII championship four straight seasons from 1999-2001. The team is coached by Nancy Fahey, who has been at Wash U since 1986. In addition to the 5 National Championships under Fahey, the Bears have appeared in the NCAA DIII National Tournament 21 straight seasons from 1989-2010.
Cross Country
The cross country teams are managed by head coach Jeff Stiles. The women placed third at the 2007 NCAA Division III Championship meet. The Bears also ran to third-place finishes at the 2005 and 2004 NCAA Division III Championships. Washington U. came in fourth place at the 2006 NCAA Championships. The women also won their third-straight Midwest Region title in 2007. In 2009, after going unranked all year, the men qualified for the National Championship and finished seventh place at the National meet. All told, the men's and women's cross country teams have won 13 UAA titles (nine women, four men), qualified as a team for the NCAA Championships 12 times (seven women, five men) and sent 32 individual qualifiers to the Championships. Since 1997, the Bears have also produced 12 All-Americans; seven individuals have combined to total All-America 11 honors.Roller Hockey
The men's roller hockey team has made the National Collegiate Roller Hockey AssociationNational Collegiate Roller Hockey Association
The National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association , is non-profit corporation and is the national governing body of collegiate inline hockey in the United States...
(NCRHA) national tournament in consecutive years from 2005–2008, finishing as high as 3rd in the nation for Division II in 2005.
Men's Soccer
Having made 17 NCAA TournamentNCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
appearances, the WUSTL's men's soccer program is one of the nation's most storied. Since the inception of the Division III tournament in 1974, the Bears have finished as national runners-up three times (1978, 1985, 1987). The Bears have also posted a 22–16–4 NCAA Tournament record (.585). The Bears have endured just three losing seasons out of the last 18, and none since 1994. Washington University has a 193–91–26 (.665) record over that span, including five NCAA Tournament appearances, two University Athletic Association
University Athletic Association
The University Athletic Association is an American athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. Member teams are located in Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, and New York...
(UAA) titles and a Division III Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
appearance in 1997.
Women's Soccer
The women's soccer team has made seven NCAA appearances and captured five UAA Championships. They were the runner up at the NCAA Division III ChampionshipSoftball
Since the inception of the Washington University softball program in 2000, the team has captured five UAA championships and has made six consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including its 2007 College World Series runner-up finish.Swimming and Diving
The Swimming and Diving teams are led by eight year head coach Brad Shively. In 2009, the Washington University men's and women's swimming teams combined to break four school records on the final day of the 2009 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships as the WU men placed seventh overall and the women came in 14th place. In 2005–2006, Shively led the Red and Green to their top finishes in program history. The women placed fifth at the NCAA Championships, while the men took sixth. Additionally, Seniors Michael Slavik (24-time All-American) and Eric Triebe (26-time All-American) won the first (50 free – 20.46 Michael Slavik) and second (200 free – 1:39.12 Eric Triebe) individual national titles in Washington University history. Since 1979, 56 Bears student-athletes have earned 304 All-America citations. Additionally, the women's team has produced a composite dual meet record of 165–57, while the men's team has compiled a 144–90 mark.Volleyball
WUSTL women's volleyball team has enjoyed the most success in the sport's history earning national championships in 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2007, and 2009. In 2009, the Bears defeated Juniata CollegeJuniata College
Juniata College is a private liberal arts college located in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. It is named after the Juniata River — one of the principal tributaries of the Susquehanna River. In 1876 it became the first college founded by the Church of the Brethren and has been co-educational since...
3–1 in the Championship game.
Championships
i. National Championships:| Basketball (M) | 2008, 2009 |
| Basketball (W) | 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2010 |
| Tennis (M) | 2008 |
| Volleyball (W) | 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2007, 2009 |
Francis Field
1904 Summer Olympics
The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States from 1 July 1904, to November 23, 1904, at what is now known as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University...
. Francis Field is also home of the Washington University in St. Louis Football, Soccer, and Track and Field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
teams.
Washington University Field House
The Washington University Field House is a 3,000-seat, 17250 square feet (1,602.6 m²), multi-purpose arenaArena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
located on the Wash U. campus. The Field House serves as the home for Bears men's and women's basketball teams and the volleyball team.
Kelly Field
Kelly Field serves as the home for Washington University Bears baseball.Francis Gymnasium
Francis GymnasiumFrancis Gymnasium (St. Louis)
Francis Gymnasium is a building at Washington University in St. Louis, currently used by the university's athletics department. It is located in St. Louis County, Missouri, on the far western edge of the university's Danforth Campus. Constructed in 1903, it was built in time for the 1904 World's...
was built for the 1904 World's Fair
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
and 1904 Summer Olympics
1904 Summer Olympics
The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States from 1 July 1904, to November 23, 1904, at what is now known as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University...
and is currently part of the Athletic Complex. It now houses Millstone pool, an Olympic sized pool constructed in 1985.