San Diego State is a member of the Mountain West Conference
The San Diego State Aztecs (also SDSU Aztecs) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent San Diego State University (SDSU). San Diego State sponsors six men's and eleven women's sports at the varsity level.
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.
Aztec basketball alumni who became more famous outside the sport include 1930s player Art Linkletter, who went on to an illustrious entertainment career that spanned more than 70 years, and Tony Gwynn, who also played baseball at San Diego State and opted for that sport professionally, ending up in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In the 2010–2011 season, the men's team had a record of 32–2 to capture a share of the Mountain West Conference title. They won the conference tournament outright for the automatic berth to the 2011 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. The only losses of the regular season were to another top 10 ranked team, BYU, who the Aztecs later beat to win the conference tournament. They earned a 2nd seed in the NCAA tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16. In the 2013–2014 season, the Aztecs finished 29–4, again reaching the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16 round.
San Diego State University's football team is part of the highest level of American collegiate football, the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I (which was formerly known as Division I-A). SDSU is 10–9 all time in post-season bowl games. They first went to a bowl game in 1948 and first won a major-college bowl game in 1969.[12] Until the 2010 season, the Aztec football team had not won a bowl game in the past 37 years. In 2019, the Aztecs reached their 10th straight bowl game.
The Aztecs moved into the new Snapdragon Stadium, located in what had been the parking lot of the team's former home of San Diego Stadium,[a] for the 2022 season.[13] During the construction of Snapdragon Stadium, the Aztecs played the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The team had played at San Diego Stadium from its opening in 1967 until its closure after the 2019 season; before that, it played in the on-campus Aztec Bowl (now the location of Viejas Arena).
The Aztecs men's golf team has more NCAA postseason appearances than any other San Diego State athletic team. Notable alumni include 2015 graduate and PGA Tour golfer Xander Schauffele. In 2017, Schauffele received the 2017 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award.[16]
The San Diego State men's soccer team competes in the Pac-12 Conference. In 1987, the Aztecs reached the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship Final, losing in the game by a score of 0–2 to Clemson. The team has an overall NCAA Division Tournament record of 5–8 through eight appearances.[18]Lev Kirshner was head coach for over two decades.
The San Diego State Aztecs women's cross country team has appeared in the NCAA tournament one time, with that appearance resulting in 7th place in the 1981–82 school year.[22]
The women's lacrosse team began play in 2012 and competes as an independent; its former women's lacrosse home of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation dropped the sport after the 2019–20 school year due to a lack of competing members. After the 2023 season, SDSU women's lacrosse will join the Pac-12 Conference.
In the past, San Diego State, like most American universities, has sponsored several additional varsity sports programs to those currently offered. These programs have since been discontinued. Budgeting and Title IX equity challenges have been cited as the primary reasons for these programs being cut.[39] In some cases (notably men's crew and men's volleyball), club teams have emerged in place of discontinued sports programs.
The Aztecs men's cross country team won three consecutive NCAA Division II national championships in 1965, 1966, and 1967 shortly before the program's ascension to Division I.
Men's swimming & diving won back-to-back NCAA Division II national championships in 1965 and 1966 shortly before the program's transition to Division I.
The men's track & field team won back-to-back NCAA Division II outdoor national championships in 1965 and 1966 shortly before the program's transition to Division I.
The men's volleyball team won San Diego State's first (and to-date only) NCAA Division I National Championship in 1973. The team's home court was Peterson Gymnasium.
Despite coming off a season in which the team was ranked in the top 10 nationally, the men's water polo team, along with other programs, was cut, due to a combination of a lack in athletic department funding, Proposition 13's passage, and necessity to comply with Title IX.[51]
In 1949, San Diego State wrestler Harold Hensen became the first African-American to compete in an NCAA wrestling championship tournament when he competed in individual competition at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.[53][54]
The women's rowing team, which had last competed in the American Athletic Conference, was discontinued following the 2020–21 academic year due to ongoing Title IX gender equity challenges and financial stress on the athletics department brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The team's home was the Mission Bay Aquatic Center.
Athletics department headquarters and Aztec Hall of Fame
2001
Jeff Jacobs JAM Center
Practice facility for men's and women's basketball
2015
Mission Bay Aquatic Center
Facility in Mission Bay co-owned and operated with the University of California, San Diego that provides opportunities for many outdoor activities and water sports for SDSU students. Home to club sports teams such as men's crew and waterskiing and wakesports.
1974
Non-varsity club sports
In addition to the varsity sports officially sponsored by the athletic department, San Diego State also supports several club-level sports, most operating through the Aztec Recreation Center.[58]
Sports with both varsity and club-level teams at the university include baseball and soccer among men's sports, and lacrosse, soccer, volleyball and water polo among women's sports.
The San Diego State Aztecs have competed in the NCAA tournament across 16 active sports (6 men's and 10 women's) 191 times at the Division I FBS level.[59]
San Diego State won 7 national championships while at the Division II level.[43]
Men's cross country (3): 1965, 1966, 1967
Men's track and field (outdoor) (2): 1965, 1966
Men's swimming and diving (2): 1965, 1966
The Aztecs also claimed 3 national team titles at the varsity level while a member of NCAA Division II that were not bestowed by the NCAA (being awarded instead by sponsors of College Division football polls):
At the NCAA Division II level, San Diego State garnered 14 individual championships.[43] In 1975 Barbara Barrow won the women's national intercollegiate individual golf championship after a tie-breaker playoff (an event conducted by the AIAW, which was succeeded by the current NCAA women's golf championship).
SDSU athletics has had a formidable rivalry with the BYU Cougars of Brigham Young University since at least the 1980s when both programs were members of the Western Athletic Conference. The rivalry intensified after both schools left the conference to become charter members of the Mountain West Conference in 1999. Through their many years in the same conferences, the Aztecs and Cougars were routinely each-others toughest competition for conference championships in numerous sports among both the men and women. The Cougars departed the Mountain West in 2011, though the programs continue to compete semi-regularly. Men's basketball and football have represented the most high-profile contests of the rivalry.[63][64]
San Diego State has a longtime rivalry with California State University, Fresno, primarily stemming from the American football rivalry dating back to the 1920s. The two schools have competed against each other in over 55 football, 50 men's basketball, and 190 baseball matches.[65][66][67] The two institutions are popular choices and top-tier schools in the California State University system, and often compete for national attention in athletics from conference play to the postseason across many sports.[68]
The Aztecs have a local rivalry with the University of San Diego's San Diego Toreros, emphasizing the competition in college men's basketball. The city of San Diego heavily relies on this rivalry, which features many competitions in a neutral location such as Petco Park across many sports.[69] The two schools, approximately separated by 9 miles, have different cultures yet fiercely compete for city visibility. San Diego State's student section, The Show, chants "LITTLE SISTERS!" or "LITTLE BROTHERS!" and "WE RUN SD!" during and after each victory in the college rivalry.[70]
UC San Diego
Though more of a rivalry historically outside of sports, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), the other major public university in San Diego, represents another local rival of SDSU. The UC San Diego Tritons joined NCAA Division I in 2020. Similar to the way SDSU's student section, The Show, refers to the San Diego Toreros, they often refer to the UC San Diego Tritons as the "little brothers" or "little sisters".[71][72]
In 2014, there were conversations between the two programs about creating a trophy using an old mission bell or a replica of an old Spanish mission bell to be awarded to the winner of the rivalry game, but no trophy ever materialized.[74]
Track & Field Coach (1922–46)
• Milton Phelps - M. Basketball (1939–41)
• Art Preston - Football (1949–51); Baseball (1950–52)
• Arnie Robinson - M. Track & Field (1970–71)
• Dennis Shaw - Football (1968–69)
• Brian Sipe - Football (1969–71)
• Willie Steele - M. Track & Field (1947–48); M. Basketball (1947); Baseball (1949) 1989
• Kevin Crow - M. Soccer (1979–82)
• Morris Gross - Baseball, M. Basketball, Football (1922–1924, 1926–1927);
M. Basketball Coach (1929–42); Baseball Coach (1931–1932); Director of Athletics (1935–1941)
• Tony Gwynn - Baseball (1979–81); M. Basketball (1978–81)
• Don Horn - Football (1965–66)
• Jack Rand - M. Track & Field (1934–35); Football (1932–34) 1990
• Tim Delaney - Football (1968–70)
• Art Linkletter - M. Basketball (1932–34); M. Swimming & Diving (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) 1992
• Barbara Barrow - W. Golf (1974–77)
• Bud Black - Baseball (1978–79)
• Tony Pinkins - M. Basketball (1955–57)
• Bob Smith - M. Track & Field (1949–50)
• Charlie Smith - Baseball Coach (1934–64)
• Deby LaPlante - W. Track & Field (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, M. Track & Field (1966–68)
• LaTanya Sheffield - W. Track & Field (1983–86) 1994
• Patricia Mang - Softball (1987–88)
• Chris Marlowe - M. Volleyball (1972–73); M. Basketball (1970–73)
• Bill Schutte - 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 & Field (1925–28)
• Ramona Pagel - W. Track & Field (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 De Snoo - W. Track & Field (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 - M. Basketball (1966–67-68)
• Nicole Storto - W. Tennis (1990–93)
• Angela Rock - W. Volleyball (1981–84)
• Marla Runyan - W. Track & 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 - W. Track & Field (1981–83)
2005
• 1987 Men's Rugby National Champion
• Hank Allison - Football (1969–70)
• Kern Carson - Football (1961–63)
• Bernie Finlay - Basketball (1958–60)
• Lynn Kanuka-Williams - W. Cross Country, W. Track & Field (1980–82) 2006
• Bob Breitbard - Football (1938–40 Player, 1945 Coach)
• Kim Goetz - M. Basketball (1978–79)
• Cynthia MacGregor - W. Tennis (1983–86)
• Neal Petties - Football (1961–63)
• Craig Scoggins - Football (1965–66) 2007
• Bob Cluck - Baseball (1966–67)
• Mike Dodd - M. Basketball (1975–79), M. Volleyball (1978–80)
• John "Jake" Duich - Football (1935, 1937–38)
• Steve Duich - Football (1966–67)
• Jay Gutowski - Football (1953–56)
• Bobby Meacham - Baseball (1979–81)
• Rachel Scott - W. Water Polo (1995–98) 2008
• Isaac Curtis - Football (1972)
• John Farris - Football (1962–64)
• Kieishsha Garnes - W. Basketball (1991–92)
• Mark Grace - Baseball (1985)
• Bobby Howard - Football (1965–66) 2009
• 1966 Wire Service College Division Football National Champions
• Toni Himmer - W. Volleyball (1980–83)
• Oliver Maiberger - M. Tennis (2000–03)
• Mario Mendez - Football (1961–63)
• Jeff Staggs - Football (1965–66)
• Ralph Wenzel - Football (1964–65) 2010
• Tonette Dyer - W. Track & Field (2002–05)
• Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila - Football (1996–99)
• La'Roi Glover - Football (1992–95)
• Doug Harvey - Baseball (1955–56)
• John Hyden - M. Volleyball (1992–95)
• Fred Miller - Director of Athletics (1985–95) 2011
• Dick Barnes - M. Basketball (1946, 1948–50)
• Sandra Durazo - Softball (1998–2001)
• Kyle Turley - Football (1994–97)
• Quentin Wheeler - M. Track & Field (1975–76)
• 1958 NAIA Baseball National Champions (1958) 2012
• Dr. O. Kenneth Karr Jr. - Director of Athletics (1969–78)
• Randy Holcomb - M. Basketball (2001–02)
• Mike Malano - Football (1996–99)
• Liane Sato - W. Volleyball (1985–86)
• J. R. Tolver - Football (1999–2002) 2013
• Brandon Heath - M. Basketball (2003–07)
• Mark Reynolds - Sailing (1975–79)
• Choc Sportsman - Track & Field Coach (1947–66)
• Michelle Suman - W. Basketball (1991–95)
• Don Warren - Football (1976–79) 2014
• Kirk Morrison - Football (2000–04)
• Stephen Strasburg - Baseball (2007–09)
• Pete Inge - Football (1976–79)
• Kyle Whittemore - M. Soccer (1984–88)
• Shayla Balentine - W. Track & Field (2002–05) 2015
• Billy Blanton - Football (1994–96)
• Ed Imo - Football (1976–77)
• Larry Godfrey - M. Track & Field (1965)
• Karoline Koehler - W. Track & Field (2007–10)
• Anthony Watson - M. Basketball (1983–86) 2016
• Kawhi Leonard - M. Basketball (2009–11)
• Leon Parma - Football (1948–50)
• Noel Prefontaine - Football (1995–96)
• Miesha McKelvy-Jones - W. Track & Field (1997–99)
• Steve Williams - M. Track & Field (1973–74) 2017
• Steve Fisher - M. Basketball Coach (1999–2017)
• D.J. Gay - M. Basketball (2007–11)
• Whitney Ashley - W. Track & Field (2011–12)
• Craig Penrose - Football (1974–75)
• Whip Walton - Football (1974–77) 2018
• Jamaal Franklin - M. Basketball (2011–13)
• Holly Hartzell - W. Water Polo (2001–04)
• Lon Hinkle - M. Golf (1970–72)
• Travis Hitt - Football (1973–76)
• Larry Ned - Football (1998–2001)
• Ernie Anderson - Photographer 2019
• Jim Dietz - Baseball Coach (1972–2002)
• Tally Hall - M. Soccer (2003–06)
• Jené Morris - W. Basketball (2008–10)
• Xavier Thames - M. Basketball (2011–14)
• Shanieka Ricketts - W. Track & Field (2011–14)
The Show
The Show is the name of the student section at SDSU sporting events.
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.[76]
