College Sports Established
1966
Location
Catonsville, Maryland
College Name
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Collegiate History
1992 - Present / NCAA Division I
Conference History
2003 - Present / America East Conference
1999 - 2003 / Northeast Conference
1992 - 1999 / Big South Conference
Nickname
Retrievers - The University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) Retrievers have a long and storied history, stretching back to its founding in 1966. The school's athletic teams have been known as the Retrievers since their inception, but where did this nickname come from?
The answer lies in the university’s location: it is situated on a peninsula jutting out into Chesapeake Bay. This area has historically been home to many species of waterfowl—including ducks, geese, swans, and other birds—often seen by residents retrieving items from the shoreline or nearby waters. Thus began UMBC’s connection with these majestic creatures that inhabit our waterways: they became known as “Retrievers!”
As time passed, people began referring to UMBC athletes as “retriever-like” for their tenacity on the field or court—the name stuck! Today, you can find images of retrievers all over campus representing our beloved sports teams, whether through statues outside sporting venues like RAC Arena or logos adorning apparel worn by students & alumni alike. There is no mistaking who we support when cheering for our Retriever!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 2008
- 2010
- 2011
- 2013
- 2014
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Retrievers First Conference Title
The Retrievers won their first regular-season American East men’s basketball title in 2007–08, and also qualified for their first NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. They had previously competed in the Division II men’s basketball tournament. The 2008 America East men’s basketball tournament was held from March 7–9 at the Binghamton University Events Center. The final was held March 15 ... -
UMBC men’s Soccer Success
The UMBC Retrievers men’s soccer team won the America East Conference in 2010, receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament. The Retrievers won their first-round game against Princeton but lost in the second round in a shootout to a ranked William & Mary team.The men also won the conference in 2012, going to the NCAA ... -
Retriever’s Soccer Star
Aquilas Levi Houapeu (born June 22, 1989) is an Ivorian footballer who plays for Maryland Bobcats FC in the National Independent Soccer Association. The 2010 team’s star striker, Levi Houapeu, was drafted as the fifth pick in the third round of the 2011 MLS Super Draft by the Philadelphia Union. He is the first UMBC player to be drafted into ... -
Historic Women’s Soccer Triumph
The Retriever women’s soccer team won their first American East Conference title and made their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2013, where they lost to #1-ranked Virginia Tech 2–0 in the first round. This was an amazing accomplishment considering the team had a cumulative record of 3-39-9 in their previous three years. -
Record-Breaking Success
In 2014, the Retrievers won their third straight America East Conference championship and advanced the furthest of any UMBC NCAA Division I team by beating the #12-ranked Creighton 4–3 on PKs, as the Retrievers reached the NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament semifinals. UMBC is the first team in tournament history to win four consecutive road games and to post shutouts in ...
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 Retrievers
The first official mascot for the school was adopted in 1965, and it featured a retriever sitting atop an orange shield with gold laurel leaves around it. This design was used until 1986 when they decided to update their look by introducing “Rufus” as their new mascot – Rufus is an anthropomorphic version of the original retriever design from before. This new look also included updated colors (black & gold), which are still used today!
In 1996, another change was made when they introduced “Retriever Nation” as part of their branding campaign at that time; this saw them create several different versions featuring various animals, such as wolves or eagles, alongside Rufus himself on t-shirts and other merchandise items designed for fans across all levels from students up through alumni associations alike!
Finally, in 2019, after much anticipation, UMBC unveiled yet another redesign – one which features both elements from past logos while adding some modern touches, including bolder lines & shapes along with brighter colors like red & blue instead of just black/gold/orange combination previously seen before then; this has become known affectionately amongst fans everywhere referred to only as ‘the paw.' As far back as anyone can remember - these three symbols have come together perfectly encapsulating what makes up our beloved university's athletic program: strength + pride + tradition = RETRIEVER NATION FOREVER!!
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