College Sports Established
1910
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio
College Name
University of Cincinnati
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1921 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
1910 - 1921 / Athletic Association of the United States
Conference History
2013 - Present / American Athletic Conference
2005 - 2013 / Big East Conference
1995 - 2005 / Conference USA
1991 - 1995 / Great Midwest Conference
1975 - 1991 / Metro Conference
1957 - 1969 / Missouri Valley Conference
1947 - 1952 / Mid-American Conference
1925 - 1935 / Buckeye Athletic Association
1910 - 1924 / Ohio Athletic Conference
Nickname
Bearcats - The Cincinnati Bearcats have been integral to the NCAA since their inception in 1885. As one of the oldest teams in college football, they have a long and storied history, including several national championships and numerous conference titles. But where did their unique nickname come from?
The origins of the “Bearcat” moniker can be traced back to 1914 when UC's student body voted on a new mascot to replace its previous symbol, which was a black bear cub named "Bingo." The students chose "Bearcat" as it represented strength and ferocity - two qualities that would become synonymous with Cincinnati athletics over time.
In addition to being an intimidating presence on game day, Bearcats also represent loyalty among fans who proudly wear their colors during every season - no matter what team is playing against them or how good they are doing at any given moment. This sense of togetherness has helped create an unbreakable bond between players, alumni, and supporters throughout UC's illustrious history.
While some may question why this particular animal was chosen for such an iconic role within college sports culture, there is no denying that it has become one of the most recognizable mascots in all collegiate athletics today! From t-shirts bearing its likeness to stadium banners adorned with its image – everyone knows exactly what you mean when you say, “Go Bearcats!”
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 2
1962, 1962
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1961
- 1962
- 2004
- 2009
- 2011
- 2013
-
NCAA Champs by Beating Rivals Ohio State
The 1961 NCAA University Division Basketball Tournament involved 24 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men’s NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 14, 1961, and ended with the championship game on March 25 in Kansas City, Missouri. A total of 28 games were played, including a third-place game ... -
Rematch with Ohio State and The Same Sucess
The 1962 NCAA University Division Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men’s NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 12, 1962, and ended with the championship game on March 24 in Louisville, Kentucky. A total of 29 games were played, including a third-place game in ... -
The Bearcats win their final Conference USA title in basketball
In 2004: The Bearcats win their tenth and final Conference USA title in basketball and reach the second round of the NCAA tournament, losing to Illinois 68-92. -
The Bearcats win their third Big East title in football
In 2009: The Bearcats win their third Big East title in football and finish the regular season undefeated at 12-0. They play in their second BCS bowl game, losing to Florida 24-51 in the Sugar Bowl. Brian Kelly leaves as head coach to take over at Notre Dame. -
The Bearcats win their fourth Big East title in football
In 2011: The Bearcats win their fourth Big East title in football and play in their third BCS bowl game, losing to Vanderbilt 24-31 in the Liberty Bowl. Mick Cronin leads the basketball team to its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2005, reaching the second round and losing to Connecticut 58-69. -
The Bearcats join the American Athletic Conference
In 2013: The Bearcats join the American Athletic Conference as a founding member after the split of the Big East. They finish second in both football and basketball, but lose both conference championship games. They play in the Military Bowl and beat Middle Tennessee State 35-13. They also reach the second round of the NCAA basketball tournament, losing to Harvard ...
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 Bearcats
In football, the team has won or shared five conference titles since joining Division I-A (now FBS) playback in 1996. They've also made seven bowl game appearances during that period—including two BCS Bowl games—and had three undefeated seasons over that span! On top of all this success on the field, there's also been plenty of it too: former head coach Brian Kelly was named Big East Coach Of The Year twice for his work at UC between 2006 and 2009 before moving on to Notre Dame; current head coach Luke Fickell led them to a share of their fifth conference title last season; plus several players from recent years have gone onto become NFL stars such as Travis Kelce and Connor Barwin among others!
In basketball, meanwhile, things haven't quite reached those heights yet. Still, they're certainly getting close: under head coach Mick Cronin they've earned six consecutive NCAA Tournament berths while claiming four regular season titles along with three tournament crowns during this stretch too! Several future NBA stars, such as Sean Kilpatrick (New York Knicks) & Lance Stephenson (Indiana Pacers), were developed by Cronin's program before eventually being drafted into professional leagues around the world, so there's no doubt he knows how to build successful teams here at UC, either way, you look at it!
All told, then it’s clear why so many people love supporting these proud Cincinnati Bearcats each year - whether it's through attending home games or simply watching them compete for online/TV broadcasts alike - because when push comes to shove, everyone wants to see what kind magic can be created when talented individuals come together achieve something truly special like only collegiate athletics can provide us all every single day throughout entire school year long after graduation bells ring out loudest cheers heard across campus grounds everywhere else beyond our wildest dreams ever imagined possible no matter where life might take us next...
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