College Sports Established
1949
Location
Long Beach, California
College Name
California State University, Long Beach
Collegiate History
1969 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1957 - 1969 / Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association
Conference History
1969 - Present / Big West Conference
Nickname
49ers - When most people think of the Long Beach State 49ers, they likely envision a team of passionate athletes competing on the field and court. But many don't know that this storied NCAA program has a fascinating history behind its nickname.
The origins of the Long Beach State 49ers moniker can be traced back to 1949 when students at then-named Los Angeles–Long Beach Junior College voted to change their name from "Junior College" to "49er" in honor of California's gold rush era settlers who had arrived in 1849 looking for fortune and adventure. The school officially adopted its new nickname shortly after that, making it one of only two junior colleges at that time with a mascot (the other being Fresno City).
Fast forward 70 years later, and Long Beach State still proudly sports its iconic red-and-gold colors and the beloved “49er” logo – both symbols representing athletic prowess, courage, and determination in pursuit of success. The symbolism behind these powerful images is one reason so many fans are drawn to root for this historic institution season after season!
For any true sports fan, understanding where your favorite team comes from adds another layer of appreciation. So next time you cheer on your favorite college squad, remember how far they've come since those first settlers struck out into unknown territory all those years ago!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1960
- 2012
- 2016
- 2018
-
Ed Ratleff Era
In 1960s: The Long Beach State men’s basketball team, led by future NBA star Ed Ratleff, becomes a national powerhouse and makes multiple appearances in the NCAA tournament. -
Big West Conference championship Winner
In 2012: The Long Beach State men’s basketball team, coached by Dan Monson, wins the Big West Conference championship and makes an appearance in the NCAA tournament. -
Long Beach State 49ers men’s basketball team wins Big West Conference championship
in 2016: Long Beach State 49ers men’s basketball team wins their first outright Big West Conference championship since 2007. -
Long Beach State women’s soccer team wins its first Big West Conference championship
In 2018: The Long Beach State women’s soccer team wins its first Big West Conference championship and makes an appearance in the NCAA tournament.
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 49ers
The 49ers have been among the most successful national and regional teams for decades. They have won four Big West regular season titles (1982-83, 1984-85, 1985-86 & 1986-87) and two Big West Tournament Championships (1984 & 1987). In addition to these accomplishments within their conference, they also made several trips to the NCAA tournament from 1971 to 1998, with their best showing coming during this period when they advanced all way to the Sweet 16 round in 1991 after upsetting defending champion UNLV Runnin’ Rebels 74–71 at Thomas Mack Center arena located on UNLV campus!
In recent years Long Beach State men's basketball program has continued its tradition of excellence by consistently competing at the highest levels while producing some truly remarkable players, such as James Ennis, who was drafted into NBA by the Miami Heat organization back in 2013 or Casper Ware Jr., who currently plays professional basketball overseas for German club Brose Bamberg Basketball Club after being undrafted out college ranks same year his former teammate James Ennis got picked up by Heat franchise - goes show how much talent can be found within ranks LBSU Basketball program!
Overall it’s safe to say that if you are a fan of collegiate athletics, then you should keep an eye on what is going down over there with the Long Beach State 49ers because chances are good; something special is happening every single season. No matter which sport happens to be playing right now, make sure you don't miss out on any action!
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