†: Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor.
Additions and subtractions
In 2011, a Special Committee recommended that Brown cut four varsity sports due to Brown's budget cut backs—men's fencing, women's fencing, men's wrestling, and women's skiing—and recommended elevating at least one women's sport to varsity status to ensure Title IX compliance.[4] These proposed changes would have reduced the number of varsity sports at Brown from 37 to 34. None of the four varsity programs were cut.
In May 2020, Brown announced they would transition eleven varsity programs—men's and women's fencing, men's and women's golf, women's skiing, men's and women's squash, women's equestrian, men's indoor track and field, men's outdoor track and field and men's cross country—to club status. Women's sailing and coed sailing would become varsity programs. Brown had 38 varsity sports before the announced cuts (only Harvard and Stanford had more), but was the least successful Ivy League school, winning 2.8% of league titles from 2008 to 2018.[5]
In December 2020, the women's fencing and equestrian teams were restored to varsity status.[6]
The Brown Bears men's basketball team competes in the Ivy League. The Brown Bears have appeared in the NCAA Tournament two times, including the inaugural tournament in 1939. Their combined record is 0–2. The Brown Bears have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) one time. Their record is 0–1.
The Brown Bears women's basketball team competes in the Ivy League. The Brown Bears have appeared in the NCAA Tournament once in 1994, where their record was 0–1.
The Brown Bears men's soccer team compete in the NCAA Division I in the Ivy League. The Bears have been semifinalists in the NCAA tournament in 1968, 1973, and 1975. They also finished in fourth place in 1977.[7]
The Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center is home to Brown's swimming, diving, and water polo teams. The pool, which measures 56 meters long by 25 yards wide, opened in May 2012.[8]
Rugby
Women's rugby at Brown was originally founded as a club team, Brown Women's RFC, in 1977.[9] Brown added rugby as a varsity sport for women beginning in the 2014–15 academic year, due in part to the growth of rugby across communities and at the high school level.[10] Brown women's rugby is led by Head Coach Kathy Flores.[11]
Brown has offered men's rugby at Brown as a club sport since 1960.[12] Brown plays in the Ivy Rugby Conference against its traditional Ivy League rivals. Brown men's rugby is led by Head Coach David Laflamme. Despite its club status, Brown men's rugby is supported by an endowment raised by Brown rugby alumni that exceeds $1.5 million; this endowment funds the full-time professional head coaching position and other expenses.[12][13]
Coed Dinghy National Champions (2): 1942, 1948[15]
Women's Sailing (5)
Women's Dinghy National Champions (5): 1985, 1988, 1989, 1998, 2019[16]
Men's Ultimate Frisbee (3)
USA Ultimate College Champions (3): 2000, 2005, 2019[17]
Mascot
Bruno mascot costumes
Bruno in 2019
Bruno in 2023
Brown's first mascot was a burro, first introduced in 1902 in a game against Harvard.[18] The burro mascot was not retained after it seemed frightened by the noise of the game, and due to the laughter it provoked.[19] The university originally settled on the Bruin, but later changed it to a bear after the head of a bear was placed at an archway above the student union in 1904.[19] In 1905 The Bears introduced Helen, the university's first live bear mascot, at a game against Dartmouth.[18] Bruno, Brown's current mascot, was introduced in 1921, originally also as a live bear.[19] A number of bears represented Bruno over the years, later being represented by a person in costume by the late 60's.[19]
E. J. Perry (Class of 2021): professional American football player.
Fritz Pollard: First African-American NFL coach and one of the first two African American players.
Earl Sprackling, Brown quarterback, 1909–11; named the deserving retrospective recipient of the Heisman Trophy for 1910 by "ESPN College Football Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Game".
Daveed Diggs (Class of 2004): track and field, set the Brown Bears' record for the 110 hurdles as a sophomore with a time of 14.21 seconds. Went on to a successful career in acting.
Mark Donohue (Class of 1959): professional racing driver, 1972 Indianapolis 500 champion
Craig Kinsley (Class of 2011): professional javelin thrower, 2010 NCAA Champion and member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. Current Assistant Throws' Coach for Brown Track & Field
