College Sports Established
1908
Location
Spokane, Washington
College Name
Gonzaga University
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1959 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
1947 - 1958 / National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
Conference History
1989 - Present / West Coast Conference
1979 - 1989 / West Coast Athletic Conference
1963 – 1979 / Big Sky Conference
1958 -1963 / Independent
Nickname
Bulldogs - For sports fans, understanding the history behind a team’s nickname can be essential to connecting with their favorite teams. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are no exception! This NCAA Division I basketball powerhouse has deep roots in its name and mascot, making it an excellent subject for any fan to learn about.
The origin of the “Bulldogs” nickname dates back to 1924 when Fr. Patrick J. Lee, S.J., chose it as a tribute to his alma mater—the University of San Francisco (USF). At USF during this period, students were referred to as “Dons” but also had another unofficial moniker: Bulldogs! It was natural that Fr Lee would take inspiration from USF and use this same name for his new school at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where he served as president from 1923-1930.
Since then, the Bulldog mascot has become synonymous with Gonzaga athletics, representing strength on the court and loyalty and camaraderie off it. You'll often see current players donning bulldog masks or t-shirts before each game! As one might expect, given its origins, there is even an official fight song dedicated solely to those brave Bulldogs: "Gonzagan Fight Song," which includes lyrics like "Go forth our loyal band/Fight hard for every stand/And bring fame unto old GU!"
So next time you cheer on your favorite college basketball team - make sure you know why they go by 'Bulldogs'! Not just because they have fierce competitors under that title - but because there's so much more meaning beneath than meets the eye.
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1910
- 1920
- 1978
- 2006
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First Gonzaga Player
On September 14, 1910, Dave Skeels became the first Gonzaga player to appear in the major leagues when he pitched in a game for the Detroit Tigers. -
Naming of Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga University was founded in 1887 by Fr. Joseph Cataldo, a Sicilian-born priest. At one time, Gonzaga went by the nickname of “Fighting Irish” in the 1910s to early 1920s. This name was dropped in 1921 favor of the current “Bulldogs” mascot. -
Best Coach for Gonzaga Bulldogs Baseball team
Steve Hertz is the winningest and longest-tenured head coach in Gonzaga athletics history; in 24 seasons (1978, 1981–2003) at the helm, he recorded 637 wins. Stephen Lawrence Hertz (born October 3, 1950) is an American former college baseball coach. Hertz was the head coach of the Gonzaga Bulldogs in 1978 before holding the same position at UC Irvine from 1979 ... -
Bulldogs Basketball team WCC tournament title
The Bulldogs captured their third straight WCC Tournament title when they beat Loyola Marymount 68–67 in the championship game.
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 the player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Bulldogs
Gonzaga’s success starts at its core: coaching staff and players alike have put together remarkable performances to bring this school into national prominence over the years. Mark Few was hired as head coach before the 1999-2000 season, and he has been instrumental to their success ever since - leading them through five consecutive Sweet 16 appearances from 2009-2013 before making it all way up to two Elite Eight runs (2015 & 2017) during his tenure thus far. He also led them on an incredible run during 2016, when they were ranked #1 overall for three weeks straight!
Additionally, many former players have gone on make names for themselves at both professional levels – Austin Daye (2009), Elias Harris (2010), Kelly Olynyk (2012) Robert Sacre(2012). All these factors combined make this team truly special, not just because of how good they are now but also because of what great things came before them, which helped set the foundation for future generations to come out even better prepared than the last ones did!
As we look ahead to the 2020/21 season, seeing if the current squad can carry the legacy forward or surpass what previous teams achieved will be exciting. Only time will tell, but regardless of the outcome, fans should take pride in knowing that no matter what happens with each passing year, more memories are being created within Bulldog Nation, which only adds another layer of depth already impressive story behind a storied program like Gonzaga Basketball!
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