UC Riverside Highlanders

UC Riverside Highlanders
Logo
UniversityUniversity of California, Riverside
ConferenceBig West (primary)
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (indoor track & field)
NCAADivision I
Athletic directorWes Mallette
LocationRiverside, California
Varsity teams15
Basketball arenaStudent Recreation Center Arena
Baseball stadiumRiverside Sports Complex
Soccer stadiumUC Riverside Soccer Stadium
Other venuesAg/Ops Course
Amy S. Harrison Field
SRC Tennis Courts
UC Riverside Track Facility
MascotScotty Highlander
NicknameHighlanders
ColorsBlue and gold[1]
   
Websitegohighlanders.com

The UC Riverside Highlanders represent the University of California, Riverside (UCR) in Riverside, California in 15 men's and women's intercollegiate athletics.[2] The Highlanders compete in NCAA Division I; they are members of the Big West Conference.[3]

In 2020, the future of UCR's sports program was placed into doubt, as the university's leadership were considering cutting the entire athletics department in response to financial strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in May 2021, the university announced that they had decided against eliminating athletics and would instead continue sponsoring all sports at the Division I level.[4]

Sports sponsored

Men's sports Women's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Cross country
Cross country Golf
Golf Soccer
Soccer Softball
Tennis Tennis
Track and field1 Track and field1
Volleyball
1 – includes both indoor and outdoor

Baseball

Main article: UC Riverside Highlanders baseball

The UC Riverside Highlanders baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate baseball team of the University of California, Riverside.[5] The team is a member of the Big West Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. UC Riverside's first baseball team was fielded in 1958. The team plays its home games at the 2,500-seat Riverside Sports Complex.

Basketball

Men's basketball

Main article: UC Riverside Highlanders men's basketball
A game between the Highlanders and Air Force Falcons men's basketball teams in 2018

The UC Riverside Highlanders men's basketball team represents the University of California, Riverside. The school's team currently competes in the Big West Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I.[6] UC Riverside's first men's basketball team was fielded during the 1958–59 season. The team plays its home games at the 3,168-seat Student Recreation Center Arena.

Women's basketball

Main article: UC Riverside Highlanders women's basketball

The UC Riverside Highlanders women's basketball team represents the University of California, Riverside. The school's team currently competes in the Big West Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I.[7] UC Riverside's first women's basketball team was fielded during the 1977–78 season. The team plays its home games at the 3,168-seat Student Recreation Center Arena.

Soccer

Men's soccer

The UC Riverside men's soccer team plays against Air Force in 2024
The UC Riverside women's soccer team plays against the USC Trojans in 2014

The UC Riverside Highlanders men's soccer team have an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 0–2 through two appearances.[8][9]

Year Round Opponent Result
2018 First Round Pacific L 0–1
2022 First Round Portland L 1-2

Women's soccer

The UC Riverside Highlanders women's soccer team have an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 0–1 through one appearance.[10]

Year Round Opponent Result
2005 First Round Colorado L 0–1

Former varsity sports

Football

The UC Riverside Highlanders football team played from 1955 until the program was disbanded in 1975. The team played at Highlander Stadium.

Championships

Appearances

The UC Riverside Highlanders competed in the NCAA Tournament across 6 active sports (2 men's and 4 women's) 10 times at the Division I level.[11]

  • Baseball (2): 2003, 2007
  • Women's basketball (3): 2006, 2007, 2010
  • Men's soccer (1): 2018
  • Women's soccer (1): 2005
  • Women's indoor track and field (2): 2009, 2016
  • Women's outdoor track and field (1): 2009

Team

UC Riverside has never won a national championship at the NCAA Division I level.[12]

UC Riverside won 4 national championships at the NCAA Division II level.[12]

  • Baseball (2): 1977, 1982
  • Women's volleyball (2): 1982, 1986

Below is one national championship that was not bestowed by the NCAA:

  • Women's volleyball – Division II (1): 1977 (AIAW)

Individual

UC Riverside had 1 Highlander win an NCAA individual championship at the Division I level.[12]

NCAA individual championships
Order School year Athlete(s) Sport Source
1 2015–16 Vesta Bell Women's indoor track and field [13]

At the NCAA Division II level, UC Riverside garnered 11 individual championships.[12]

Traditions

Mascot

"Scotty Highlander" is the mascot for UC Riverside. The original mascot was an aggressive little bear wearing a kilt for the school's logo. In 1998, a referendum to move to NCAA Division I was passed and the students approached the administration requesting a new mascot and the old mascot was replaced. In 2011, the mascot was updated again with students voting online and a new "Scotty Highlander" mascot, featuring a roaring bear wearing a plaid Tam o' Shanter was chosen.[2]

School colors

All schools in the University of California System have a combination of blue and gold as their school colors.[2] UC Riverside follows this tradition.

See also

References

  1. ^ "UCR Colors | Brand Identity". June 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "The Mascot". gohighlanders.com. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  3. ^ "UC Riverside". bigwest.org.
  4. ^ Medcalf, Myron (May 6, 2021). "UC Riverside won't cut sports, will remain at Division I level despite pandemic". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  5. ^ "2010 UC Riverside baseball media guide" (PDF). gohighlanders.com. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  6. ^ "Men's Basketball: Career Coaching Records". gohighlanders.com. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  7. ^ "Women's Basketball: Career Coaching Records". gohighlanders.com. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  8. ^ "Bracket of the 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  9. ^ "Bracket of the 2022 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  10. ^ "Division I Women's Soccer Championships Records Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  11. ^ "NCAA Championships Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  12. ^ a b c d "Championships Summary" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  13. ^ "Division I Women's Indoor Track Championships Records Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to University of California, Riverside athletics.