The San Diego State Aztecs are the collegiate athletics and sports teams for San Diego State University (SDSU). San Diego State has organized facilities for baseball, basketball, american football, golf, gymnastics, association football, tennis, track, softball, rowing (crew), water polo, swimming, diving, and women's volleyball. The Aztecs compete in NCAA Division I (I-A for football). Its primary conference is the Mountain West Conference; its women's water polo team participates in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and its men's soccer team participates as an Associate Member of the Pacific-10 Conference (the "Pac-10" Conference). Crew's championship regatta is the WIRA (Western International Rowing Association). News reports (especially on local radio) often mention "Montezuma Mesa" or "news from the mesa" when discussing San Diego State-related sports events. The San Diego State campus is known as "Montezuma Mesa," as the university is situated on a mesa overlooking Mission Valley and is located at the intersection of Montezuma Road and College Avenue in the city of San Diego, California.

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Purpose

"The mission of the San Diego State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Team is to provide student-athletes the finest educational and athletic experience. We develop the leaders of tomorrow by instilling the core values and work ethic that inspires a passion for success in the classroom, on the field of competition, in the community, and in all future endeavors."

School colors

The school colors are scarlet (red) and black.

Sports facilities

A detailed listing of the San Diego State athletics facilities, including photographs and descriptions, is found here: . # # Viejas Arena # Qualcomm Stadium # # Tony Gwynn Stadium # Peterson Gymnasium # Aztec Aquaplex # # # #

Championships

Total as of 2009 = seven (7)

• 1941 - The men's basketball team won the NAIB (now NAIA) Division I National Championship in 1941.

::NOTE: In 1957 ^[1], San Diego State left the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and moved into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the top intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States

• 1966, 1967 & 1968 - The football teams won the NCAA "Small College" (a.k.a. Division II) National Football Championships in 1966 and 1967, and shared the title in 1968.

:In 1966, SDSU had perfect undefeated 11-0-0 season.

• 1973 - The men's volleyball team won the NCAA Championship in 1973, but the team has since been disbanded.

::One of the team stars was Chris Marlowe.

• 1987 - The men's rugby union team (a club sport) won the College rugby national championship in 1987.
• 2009 - The cheer team won the College Cheerleading National Championships in the all women's division in 2009.

Highlights

Football

Current Head Coach : Brady Hoke

San Diego State University's football team is part of the highest level of American collegiate football, NCAA "Football Bowl Subdivision" of Division 1 (which was formerly known as Division 1 A). The Aztec football team has not won a bowl game in the past 37 years and their 2008 overall season record was 2-10-0. ^[2]

However, San Diego State athletics have contributed richly to the National Football League (NFL). Distinguished NFL head coaches were proud members of the Aztec Football program:

• Joe Gibbs - Hall of Fame NFL head coach of the Washington Redskins,NASCAR team owner, former Aztec player and assistant coach.
• John Madden - Hall of Fame AFL/NFL head coach of the Oakland Raiders, former Aztec assistant coach.
• Don Coryell - Former NFL head coach of the San Diego Chargers, former Aztec head coach.
• Ted Tollner - Former NFL offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers, former Aztec head coach.
• Herman Edwards - NFL head coach of the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, former Aztec player.
• John Fox - NFL head coach of the Carolina Panthers, former Aztec player.

Some of the more famous San Diego State students to later star in the NFL are:

• Marshall Faulk - 7-time Pro Bowl running back for the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams.
• Dan McGwire - QB was the 16th pick in 1991 by the Seattle Seahawks, playing six years in the NFL. Dan is the brother of former Major League slugger Mark McGwire.
• Brian Sipe - NFL quarterback; part of the "Kardiac Kids" for the Cleveland Browns.
• Isaac Curtis - 4-time Pro Bowl wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals.
• Kevin O'Connell - Highest drafted Aztec player in the 2008 NFL Draft. Star quarterback of the team who started for four years, from 2004 to 2007.
• See List of San Diego State Football Players

The football team plays at Qualcomm Stadium (formerly known as "Jack Murphy" Stadium). See also .

Basketball

Current Head Coach (men's team) : Steve Fisher

Current Head Coach (women's team) : Beth Burns

San Diego State has both men's and women's college basketball teams. Some of the more famous San Diego State students to later star in the NBA are:

• Michael Cage - All star NBA player with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Philadelphia 76ers, and New Jersey Nets.
• Brandon Heath - Los Angeles D-Fenders
• Marcus Slaughter - Miami Heat and Eisbären Bremerhaven

The basketball teams play at Viejas Arena (see also ) on the San Diego State campus. The team has had moderate success since Fisher was hired as head coach. The Aztecs won the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament in 2002 and 2006, earning automatic bids to the NCAA basketball tournament, although both times the Aztecs lost to strong Big Ten Conference teams in the first round (Illinois in 2002 and Indiana in 2006). The Aztecs were also the regular season Mountain West champions in 2006. On March 19, 2007, a new National Invitation Tournament (NIT) attendance record was set, at 26,752, in a loss in the second-round men's basketball game against Syracuse. They also made the MWC Tournament Finals in 2009, losing the Championship to the Utah Utes, 52-50. The Aztecs are currently playing in the NIT semi-finals, which will take place on March 31.

Baseball

Current Head Coach : Tony Gwynn

Some of the more famous San Diego State students to later star in MLB are:

• Bud Black
• Mark Grace
• Chris Gwynn
• Tony Gwynn, the namesake of SDSU's Tony Gwynn Stadium, where the baseball team plays at Smith Field. A baseball and basketball player at SDSU, Gwynn is now a Baseball Hall of Fame member.
• Tony Gwynn, Jr.
• Travis Lee
• Bobby Meacham
• Graig Nettles
• Dave Smith
• Justin Masterson
• Steven Strasburg

Soccer

Current Head Coach (men's team) : Lev Kirshner

Current Head Coach (women's team) : Michael Giuliano

Some of the more famous San Diego State students soccer stars are:

• Marcelo Balboa
• Jimmy Conrad
• Kevin Crow
• Tally Hall
• Eric Wynalda
• Dean Wurzberger - head coach of the University of Washington men's soccer team from 1992-present
• Carlos Menjivar
• Rick Blubaugh

The men's and women's soccer teams play at Sports Deck on the San Diego State campus. The women compete in the Mountain West Conference while the men compete in the Pacific Ten Conference (Pac-10) In 1987, the San Diego State men's soccer team lost in the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship finals by a score of 0-2 to Clemson.

Aztec Hall Of Fame Inductees

1988 • Laurel Brassey - W. Volleyball (1974-1981) • Willie Buchanon - Football (1970-71) • John Butler - Football (1933-35) • Don Coryell - Football Coach (1961-72) • Fred Dryer - Football (1967-68) • Gary Garrison - Football (1964-65) • Gene Littler - M. Golf (1949-52) • Haven Moses - Football (1966-67) • Graig Nettles - Baseball (1964-65); M. Basketball (1964-65) • C.E. Peterson - Football Coach (1921-29); M. Bball Coach (1921-26); Track Coach (1922-46) • Milton Phelps - M. Basketball (1939-41) • Art Preston - Football (1949-51); Baseball (1950-52) • Arnie Robinson - M. Track (1970-71) • Dennis Shaw - Football (1968-69) • Brian Sipe - Football (1969-71) • Willie Steele - M. Track (1947-48); M. Basketball (1947); Baseball (1949) 1989 • Kevin Crow - Soccer (1979-82) • Morris Gross - Football, Baseball, M. Basketball Coach (1929-42) • Tony Gwynn - Baseball (1979-81); M. Basketball (1978-81) • Don Horn - Football (1965-66) • Jack Rand - M. Track (1934-35); Football (1932-34) 1990 • Tim Delaney - Football (1968-70) • Art Linkletter - M. Basketball (1932-34); M. Swimming (1932-34) • Judy Porter - W. Basketball (1980-83) • Tom Reynolds - Football (1969-71) 1991 • Steve Copp - M. Basketball (1973-76) • Chuck Courtney - M. Golf (1960-61) • Tom Dahms - Football (1947-49) • Monte Jackson - Football (1973-74) • Angela Rock - W. Volleyball (1981-84) 1992 • Barbara Barrow - W. Golf (1974-77) • Bud Black - Baseball (1978-79) • Tony Pinkins - M. Basketball (1955-57) • Bob Smith - M. Track (1949-50) • Charlie Smith - Baseball Coach (1934-64) • Deby LaPlante - W. Track (1979-80) 1993 • Tom Ables - Honorary • Michael Cage - M. Basketball (1981-84) • Vidal Fernandez - M. Soccer (1977-79) • Ann Lebedeff - W. Tennis (1972-74) • Tom Nettles - Football (1966-68) • LaTanya Sheffield - W. Track (1983-86) 1994 • Patricia Mang - Softball (1987-88) • Chris Marlowe - M. Volleyball (1972-73); M. Basketball (1970-73) • Bill Schuttee - Football Coach (1947-55) • Nate Wright - Football (1967-68) • George Ziegenfuss - M. Basketball Coach (1948-69) 1995 • Marcelo Balboa - M. Soccer (1988-89) • Bob Brady - M. Basketball (1952-54) • Claudie Minor - Football (1972-73) • Micki Schillig - W. Tennis (1980-83) • Frank Scott - M. Golf Coach (1948-83)

1996 • Paul Mott - Football, M. Basketball, M. Track (1925-28) • Ramona Pagel - W. Track (1983-84) • Todd Santos - Football (1984-87) • Eric Wynalda - M. Soccer (1987-89) 1997 • Vicki Cantrell - W. Volleyball (1980-83) • Kenny Hale - M. Basketball (1941, 1946-47) • Joel Kramer - M. Basketball (1974, 1976-78) • Duncan McFarland - M. Volleyball (1973) 1998 • Marshall Faulk - Football (1991-93) • Chris Gwynn - Baseball (1983-85) • Mary Holland - W. Volleyball (1979-82) • Dick Mitchell - M. Basketball (1940-42) • Chana Perry - W. Basketball (1988-89) 1999 • Lennie Clements - M. Golf (1976-79) • Laura DeSnoo - W. Track (1983-86) • Harry Hodgetts - M. Basketball (1937-41) • Carol Plunkett - W. Tennis Coach (1976-94) • Wendy Wheat - W. Volleyball (1977-80) 2002 • 1940-41 Men’s Basketball Team • 1987 Men’s Soccer Team • Joe Gibbs - Football (1961-63); Football Coach (1965-66) • Norm Nygaard - Football (1952-54) • Falisha Wright - W. Basketball (1992-95) 2003 • 1973 Men’s Volleyball National Champions • Al Skalecky - Men’s Basketball (1966-67-68) • Nicole Storto - Women’s Tennis (1990-93) • Marla Runyan - Track and Field (1988-91) 2004 • Mike Douglass - Football (1976-77) • Rod Dowhower - Football (1963-64) • Claude Gilbert - Football coach (1967-80, 1995-99) • Travis Lee - Baseball (1994-96) • Ron Reina - Broadcaster (1969-86) • Carrie McLaughlin Stathas - Track and Field (1981-83) 2005 • 1987 Men’s Rugby National Champion • Henry Allison - Football (1969-70) • Kern Carson - Football (1961-63) • Bernie Finlay - Basketball (1958-60) • Lynn Kanuka - Cross Country/Track and Field (1980-82)

Spirit

San Diego State's athletic teams are nicknamed "Aztecs", and its current mascot is the Aztec Warrior, historically referred to as "Monty - Montezuma".

Band

The San Diego State Marching Aztecs, and Pep and Varsity Bands are often seen at many sporting events including Football, Basketball and even Volleyball.

Notable athletes

• Marcelo Balboa, World Cup and Major League Soccer (MLS) soccer star
• Bud Black, former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher and current manager of the San Diego Padres
• Jim Campbell, former MLB pitcher
• Isaac Curtis - former National Football League (NFL) receiver
• Jeff DaVanon, MLB baseball player (Arizona Diamondbacks)
• Fred Dryer, actor-producer and former NFL player
• Herm Edwards, current Kansas City Chiefs head coach
• Marshall Faulk, NFL star and broadcaster
• John Fox, current Carolina Panthers head coach
• Mark Grace, retired MLB player and World Series Champion
• Tony Gwynn, current Baseball Hall of Famer (and current San Diego State baseball Head Coach)
• Az-Zahir Hakim, NFL wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins
• Armen Keteyian, Sports Journalist, HBO Sports, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
• Kirk Morrison, current Oakland Raiders starting linebacker
• Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, current Green Bay Packers player
• Joe Gibbs, current NFL head coach of the Washington Redskins and NASCAR team owner.
• Travis Lee, MLB player with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
• Chris Marlowe, Sportscaster, former Olympic volleyball player
• Haven Moses, former NFL receiver with Denver Broncos
• Kassim Osgood, San Diego Chargers receiver
• Noel Prefontaine, Toronto Argonauts kicker
• Jimmy Raye, former NFL player
• Darnay Scott, former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
• Don Shaw, former MLB pitcher
• Brian Sipe - former NFL quarterback
• Webster Slaughter, former American football wide receiver
• Dave Smith, former MLB pitcher
• Carl Weathers, Actor/former NFL player, Apollo Creed
• Eric Wynalda, well-known World Cup and MLS soccer star, and current ABC Sports broadcaster
• Jeanne Zelasko, Sports Journalist, Fox Sports

Notes

1. NAIA Championship History, San Diego State's last NAIA tournament appearance was in 1956.
2. Football shy of dollar goal at San Diego State