Minnesota Golden Gophers | |
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University | University of Minnesota |
Conference | Big Ten (primary) WCHA(Women’s Hockey) |
NCAA | Division I (FBS) |
Athletic director | Mark Coyle |
Location | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
Varsity teams | 21 |
Football stadium | Huntington Bank Stadium |
Basketball arena | Williams Arena |
Ice hockey arena | 3M Arena at Mariucci (men) Ridder Arena (women) |
Baseball stadium | Siebert Field U.S. Bank Stadium (February and March, 2017–) |
Soccer stadium | Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium |
Other venues | Maturi Pavilion |
Mascot | Goldy Gopher |
Nickname | Golden Gophers |
Fight song | Minnesota Rouser |
Colors | Maroon and gold[1] |
Website | www |
The Minnesota Golden Gophers (commonly shortened to Gophers) are the college sports teams of the University of Minnesota. The university fields a total of 21 (9 men's, 12 women's) teams in both men's and women's sports and competes in the Big Ten Conference.
The Gophers women's ice hockey team is a six-time NCAA champion and seven-time national champion.[2][3] In women's ice hockey, the Gophers belong to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. In all other sports, they belong to the Big Ten Conference. Most of the facilities that the teams use for training and competitive play are located on the East Bank of the Minneapolis campus. There are arenas for men's and women's basketball (Williams Arena) as well as ice hockey (Mariucci Arena and Ridder Arena). The Gopher football team began playing at TCF Bank Stadium in September 2009. The women's soccer team plays on the St. Paul campus in the Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium.
The Cheerleaders and the Dance Team are also part of the university's athletic department; they are present at events for basketball, ice hockey, and football, and compete for UCA/UDA national titles in the winter. The University of Minnesota spirit squad was the first as sideline cheerleading was invented at the U of M, and it prides itself in being one of the largest spirit squads in the country. The U of M spirit squad currently consists of three cheerleading teams (all girl, coed, and small coed), a dance team, Goldy Gopher, and a unique ice hockey cheerleading team. The dance team won its 19th national title in 2019.[4]
During the 2006–07 academic year, the Golden Gophers wrestling team won the NCAA national championship and the Big Ten team title. The Golden Gophers also won conference championships in men's ice hockey, men's golf, women's rowing, men's swimming and diving, and women's indoor track and field.