History of the Gauchos

The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos are the intercollegiate athletic teams representing the University of California, Santa Barbara. Referred to in athletic competition as UC Santa Barbara or UCSB, the Gauchos participate in 19 NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports, with the majority competing in the Big West Conference. UCSB currently fields varsity teams in 10 men's and 9 women's sports.

Throughout the school's history, UCSB has won team national championships for 1979 men's water polo, 2006 men's soccer, and 1962 men's swimming and diving (Div. II). The Gauchos, and the student-athletes who compose the teams, have won various conference titles, regularly competed in NCAA championship events, and produced professional and Olympic athletes.

College Sports Established
1891

Location
Santa Barbara, California

College Name
University of California, Santa Barbara

Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1939 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA

Conference History
1988 - Present / Big West Conference
1969 - 1988 / Pacific Coast Athletic Association
1939 - 1969 / California Collegiate Athletic Association

Nickname
Gauchos - Those affiliated with UCSB, including alumni, faculty, and students in addition to the athletic teams, have previously gone under the nicknames Hilltoppers and Roadrunners. In September 1934, the student body voted to change the Roadrunners moniker to the Gauchos, which also applied to the athletic teams. Students felt the name more suited the campus's and Santa Barbara, California-area's Spanish architecture, Mission Santa Barbara, and the Gaucho was "essentially Spanish". The school marked the change with a small ceremony of four horse-riders prior to a football game's kickoff. Later, others attributed the change as inspired by Douglas Fairbanks' role in the eponymous film, The Gaucho.

NCAA Championships
Baseball 0

Men's Basketball 0

Women's Basketball 0

Football 0

Soccer 1
2006