College Sports Established
1907
Location
San Luis Obispo, California
College Name
California Polytechnic State University
Collegiate History
1994 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1973 - 1993 / NCAA Division II
1937 - 1972 / NCAA College Division
Conference History
1994 - Present / Big West Conference
1993 - 1994 / American West Conference
Nickname
Mustangs - The Cal Poly Mustangs are an NCAA Division I athletic program known for its fierce rivalry with UC Santa Barbara. But many fans don’t know the origin of the team's nickname, which has existed since 1924.
The story goes back to 1923, when a group of students from California Polytechnic School in San Luis Obispo formed a football team and needed a name for it. After much debate, they settled on “Mustangs” because they admired the wild horses in nearby hillsides and valleys throughout Central California. The school adopted this moniker as its official nickname shortly after that, making it one of only two NCAA teams (the other being TCU) named after equines rather than predators or birds like most others do today!
Since then, Cal Poly Mustangs have become synonymous with excellence on and off the field; they have won numerous conference championships over the years while maintaining high academic standards amongst their student-athletes – something few other programs can boast about! From its humble beginnings nearly 100 years ago until now, Cal Poly Mustangs will always be remembered as one of college sports' greatest nicknames – thanks mainly to those original students who chose such an appropriate representation for their beloved school back in 1923!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1901
- 1940
- 1962
- 1993
- 1994
- 2005
- 2017
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Cal Poly Mustangs football team plays its first game
In 1901: Cal Poly Mustangs football team plays its first game, losing to the Santa Maria Athletic Club 6-0. -
Cal Poly Mustangs men’s basketball team beginning
1940: Cal Poly Mustangs men’s basketball team is founded. -
Cal Poly Mustangs baseball team wins its first conference championship
In 1962: Cal Poly Mustangs baseball team wins its first conference championship. -
Cal Poly Mustangs football team wins
In 1993: Cal Poly Mustangs football team wins its first conference championship. -
Cal Poly Mustangs men’s soccer team wins its first conference championship
In 1994: Cal Poly Mustangs men’s soccer team wins its first conference championship. -
Chris Gocong
Chris Gocong is a former American football linebacker who played for the Cal Poly Mustangs from 2002 to 2005. He was a standout player for the Mustangs and was recognized for his excellent performance on the field. During his time at Cal Poly, Gocong set a school record with 23.5 sacks and was named the Great West Conference Defensive Player ... -
Cal Poly Mustangs women’s soccer team wins its first conference championship
In 2017: Cal Poly Mustangs women’s soccer team wins its first conference championship.
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Mustangs
Since joining Division, I play, Cal Poly has won seven regular season titles across four different conferences (Big West Conference - 5; Great West Conference - 1; Pacific Coast Athletic Association – 1). They also won two tournament titles as members of those same four conferences (Big West – 2). In addition to these successes on the field, many former players from this school have competed at higher levels, such as in professional leagues or Olympic Games.
Regarding individual accolades for athletes associated with this program, there’s plenty worth noting here too! For starters: five student-athletes earned All-American honors while playing for them between 2005 and 2019, including one named National Player Of The Year in 2006! Additionally, three other individuals were honored with Academic All-American status by CoSIDA during those same years—a testament to their athletic prowess and academic achievement within their respective fields/majors at university-level studies too! Lastly, we can’t forget about all ten coaches who received Coach Of The Year awards throughout various seasons spanning from 1992 until now either–which goes without saying speaks volumes about how much respect & recognition these people carry amongst peers around countrywide collegiate circles alike…and rightfully so indeed!!
Overall it's clear why so many fans love following along with every game & event involving our beloved Mustangs squad each season--they've proven themselves worthy contenders year after year, both athletically AND academically speaking, which makes them stand out even more than most other programs nationwide nowadays if you ask me personally 😉 So whether you're cheering from home or attending events live at Mott Athletics Center, show your support proudly because when it comes down, nothing beats being a part fan of something special like THIS!!!
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