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The San Diego State Aztecs are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent
San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1897, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CS ...
(SDSU). The university fields 17 varsity teams (6 men's, 11 women's) in
National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
(NCAA) Division I, primarily as a member of the
Mountain West Conference The Mountain West Conference (MW) is a collegiate athletic conference in the Western United States, participating in NCAA Division I. Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The MW officially began operations on Ja ...
(
Pac-12 Conference The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the Western United States. It participates at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I level for all sports, and its Co ...
starting in 2026). The Aztecs football team competes in the
Football Bowl Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As ...
(FBS), the highest level of NCAA
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
competition. The
Aztecs The Aztecs ( ) were a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the ...
nickname was chosen by students in 1925; team colors are scarlet (red) and black. As of 2021, athletes from the university had won 14 medals at the
Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...
.


Sports sponsored


Men's varsity sports


Baseball

* Head Coach: Shaun Cole * Stadium:
Tony Gwynn Stadium Tony Gwynn Stadium is a ballpark in San Diego, California, located on the campus of San Diego State University (SDSU). Opened in 1997, it is the home of the San Diego State Aztecs baseball team. The Aztecs compete in NCAA Division I as a member ...
* Conference regular season championships: 5 (1986 • 1988 • 1990 • 2002 • 2004) * Conference tournament championships: 8 (1990 • 1991 • 2000 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2017 • 2018) *
NCAA Division I Baseball Championship The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the eight-team College World Series, Men's College World Series (MCWS) at Charles Schwa ...
appearances: 14 (1979 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1986 • 1990 • 1991 • 2009 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2017 • 2018) :''See: San Diego State baseball and
College baseball College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...
''


Football

* Head Coach: Sean Lewis * Stadium:
Snapdragon Stadium Snapdragon Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in San Diego, California, located on the campus of San Diego State University (SDSU). It is the home of the San Diego State Aztecs football team of the Mountain West Conference (MW), San Diego FC o ...
* Conference championships: 19 (1922 • 1923 • 1924 • 1936 • 1937 • 1950 • 1951 • 1962 • 1966 • 1967 • 1969 • 1970 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1986 • 2012 • 2015 • 2016) *
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
postseason
bowl game In North America, a bowl game, or simply bowl, is one of a number of postseason college football games primarily played by NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams. For most of its history, the FBS did not use a playoff tourname ...
appearances: 20 ( 1948 Harbor Bowl • 1952 Pineapple Bowl • 1966 Camellia Bowl • 1967 Camellia Bowl • 1969 Pasadena Bowl • 1986 Holiday Bowl • 1991 Freedom Bowl • 1998 Las Vegas Bowl •
2010 Poinsettia Bowl The 2010 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the San Diego State Aztecs and the Navy Midshipmen on December 23, 2010 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The sixth edition o ...
•
2011 New Orleans Bowl The 2011 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, part of the 2011–12 bowl game season, took place on December 17, 2011, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The 11th edition of the game featured the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns from ...
• 2012 Poinsettia Bowl • 2013 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl • 2014 Poinsettia Bowl • 2015 Hawaii Bowl •
2016 Las Vegas Bowl The 2016 Las Vegas Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played on December 17, 2016, at Sam Boyd Stadium in Whitney, Nevada. The 25th annual Las Vegas Bowl was one of the 2016–17 NCAA football bowl games, 2016–17 bowl games concludin ...
• 2017 Armed Forces Bowl • 2018 Frisco Bowl • 2019 New Mexico Bowl • 2021 Frisco Bowl • 2022 Hawaii Bowl) San Diego State University's football team is part of the highest level of American collegiate football, the
Football Bowl Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As ...
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. 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 Snapdragon Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in San Diego, California, located on the campus of San Diego State University (SDSU). It is the home of the San Diego State Aztecs football team of the Mountain West Conference (MW), San Diego FC o ...
, located in what had been the parking lot of the team's former home of
San Diego Stadium San Diego Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in San Diego, California, United States. Opened in 1967 as San Diego Stadium; it was renamed Jack Murphy Stadium for sportswriter Jack Murphy (sportswriter), Jack Murphy from 1981 to 1997. From 1997 t ...
, for the 2022 season. During the construction of Snapdragon Stadium, the Aztecs played the 2020 and 2021 seasons at
Dignity Health Sports Park Dignity Health Sports Park is a multi-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills, in Carson, California. The complex consists of the 27,000-seat Dignity Health Sports Park soccer stadium, the Dignit ...
in
Carson, California Carson is a city in the South Bay (Los Angeles County), South Bay and the Los Angeles Harbor Region, Harbor regions of Los Angeles County, California, located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately away from Los Angeles International ...
. 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).


Basketball

* Head Coach: Brian Dutcher * Arena: Viejas Arena * Conference regular season championships: 24 (1923 • 1925 • 1932 • 1934 • 1937 • 1939 • 1941 • 1942 • 1954 • 1957 • 1958 • 1967 • 1968 • 1977 • 1978 • 2006 • 2011 • 2012 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2020 • 2021 • 2023) * Conference tournament championships: 9 (1976 • 1985 • 2002 • 2006 • 2010 • 2011 • 2018 • 2021 • 2023) *
NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, or The Big Dance, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the NCAA Division I, Di ...
appearances: 16 (1975 • 1976 • 1985 • 2002 • 2006 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2018 • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 • 2024) Aztec basketball alumni who became more famous outside the sport include 1930s player
Art Linkletter Arthur Gordon Linkletter (born Gordon Arthur Kelly or Arthur Gordon Kelly; sources differ; July 17, 1912 – May 26, 2010) was a Canadian-born American radio and television personality. He was the host of '' House Party'', which ran on CBS radio ...
, who went on to an illustrious entertainment career that spanned more than 70 years, and
Tony Gwynn Anthony Keith Gwynn Sr. (May 9, 1960 – June 16, 2014), nicknamed "Mr. Padre", was an American professional baseball right fielder, who played 20 seasons (1982–2001) in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres. The left-handed hi ...
, who also played baseball at San Diego State and opted for that sport professionally, ending up in the
Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...
. In the 2010–11 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 2011 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament that determined the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball national champion for the 2010-11 ...
. 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. The Aztecs reached the
Elite Eight In the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, NCAA men's Division I basketball championship or the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, NCAA women's Division I basketball championship, the "Elite Eight" comprises the final eight t ...
,
Final Four In sports, the final four is the last four teams remaining in a playoffs, playoff tournament. Usually the final four compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final (penultimate) round. Of these teams, the two who win in ...
, and the
National Championship A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or competition, contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the be ...
for the first time during the 2022–23 season, where they finished runner-up to UConn. The Aztecs returned to the tournament in 2024, reaching the Sweet Sixteen.


Golf

* Head Coach: Ryan Donovan *Mountain West Conference championships: 3 (2011 • 2012 • 2015) * NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships appearances: 23 (1960 • 1962 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1970 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1999 • 2003 • 2005 • 2008 • 2011 • 2012 • 2015 • 2016) 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 The PGA Tour (stylized as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champion ...
golfer Xander Schauffele. In 2017, Schauffele received the 2017 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award.


Soccer

* Head Coach: Ryan Hopkins * Home field: SDSU Sports Deck * NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship appearances: 8 (1969 • 1982 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 2005 • 2006 • 2016) The San Diego State men's soccer team competes in the
Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the Western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, Texas, Utah and Washington (state), Washington. Due to ...
. 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. Lev Kirshner was head coach for over two decades.


Tennis

* Head Coach: Gene Carswell *Home court: Aztec Tennis Center *Mountain West Conference regular season championships: 6 (2002 • 2003 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2013) *Mountain West Conference tournament championships: 3 (2002 • 2003 • 2005) *
NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship The NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship is an annual men's college tennis national collegiate championship sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for teams in Division I. The tournament crowns a team, individual ...
tournament appearances: 7 (1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2002 • 2003 • 2005 • 2015)


Women's varsity sports


Basketball

* Head Coach: Stacie Terry-Hutson * Arena: Viejas Arena * Conference regular season championships: 6 (1994 • 1995 • 1997 • 2009 • 2012 • 2013) * Conference tournament championships: 4 (1994 • 1997 • 2010 • 2012) *
NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, sometimes referred to as Women's March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, currently featuring 68 women's college basketball teams from the Div ...
appearances: 9 (1984 • 1985 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1997 • 2009 • 2010 • 2012)


Cross Country

* Head Coach: Shelia Burrell * Home field: Morley Field * NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country Championship appearances: 1 (1981) 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.


Golf

* Head Coach: Lauren Dobashi *Mountain West Conference championships: 2 (2015 • 2019) Notable alumni include 2015 graduate Paige Spiranac.


Lacrosse

* Head Coach: Kylee White * Home field: Aztec Lacrosse Field *Conference championships: 2 ( MPSF) (2018 • 2019) The women's lacrosse team began play in 2012 and will play its first season in the
Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. It consists of 16 full-member universities (3 private universities and 13 public universities) in the states of Arizona, Colorado, Florida ...
in spring 2025. The Aztecs had played in the
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) is a college athletic conference with members located mostly in the Western United States, although it has added members as far east as Massachusetts. The conference participates at the NCAA Divisio ...
before that conference dropped the sport after the 2021 season (2020–21 school year) due to a lack of competing members. They then spent the next two seasons as an independent before becoming an affiliate member of the
Pac-12 Conference The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the Western United States. It participates at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I level for all sports, and its Co ...
in the 2024 season, the last before that conference's collapse. The Aztecs became one of the six inaugural members of Big 12 women's lacrosse, joined by full members Arizona State, Cincinnati, and Colorado plus fellow affiliates Florida and UC Davis.


Soccer

* Head Coach: Mike Friesen * Home field: SDSU Sports Deck *Mountain West Conference regular season championships: 6 (1999 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2019) *Mountain West Conference tournament championships: 5 (2009 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2017) * NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship appearances: 7 (1998 • 1999 • 2009 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2017) The Aztecs women's soccer team have an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 4–7 through seven appearances.


Softball

* Head Coach: Stacey Nuveman Deniz * Stadium: SDSU Softball Stadium *Mountain West Conference championships: 8 (2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2006 • 2008 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014) *
NCAA Division I softball tournament The NCAA Division I softball tournament is held annually in May/June and features 64 college softball teams in the United States, culminating in the Women's College World Series (WCWS), which is played in Oklahoma City. Tournament play and team ...
appearances: 11 (2001 • 2003 • 2006 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015)


Swimming & Diving

* Head Coach: Mike Schrader * Home pool: Aztec Aquaplex *Mountain West Conference regular season championships: 1 (2011) *Mountain West Conference tournament championships: 4 (2011 • 2013 • 2015 • 2019) * NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships appearances: 8 (1982 • 2010 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2017 • 2019)


Tennis

* Head Coach: Peter Mattera * Home court: Aztec Tennis Center *Mountain West Conference regular season championships: 3 (2002 • 2003 • 2013) *Mountain West Conference tournament championships: 1 (2003) * NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championship appearances: 22 (1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2002 • 2003 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2009 • 2013)


Track & Field (Indoor and Outdoor)

* Head Coach: Shelia Burrell * Home track: Aztrack at SDSU Sports Deck *Mountain West Conference indoor championships: 1 (2013) *Mountain West Conference outdoor championships: 5 (2003 • 2013 • 2014 • 2017 • 2018) * NCAA Women's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships appearances: 10 (2006 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019) * NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships appearances: 22 (1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1998 • 1999 • 2001 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019)


Volleyball

* Head Coach: Brent Hilliard * Home arena: Aztec Court at Peterson Gymnasium *Mountain West Conference regular season championships: 1 (2012) * NCAA Division I women's volleyball tournament appearances: 14 (1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 2001 • 2012) The Aztecs women's volleyball team have an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 13–14 through fourteen appearances.


Water Polo

* Head Coach: Carin Crawford * Home pool: Aztec Aquaplex * NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship appearances: 3 (2007 • 2008 • 2016)


Conference affiliations

San Diego State has been a member of six different athletic conferences in its history. * Southern California Junior College Conference (1921–1924) * Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1926–1938) *
California Collegiate Athletic Association The California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) is a List of NCAA conferences, college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the NCAA Division II, Division II level. All of its current m ...
(1939–1967) * Pacific Coast Athletic Association (1969–1975) *''Independent'' (1925, 1968, 1976–1977) *
Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the Western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, Texas, Utah and Washington (state), Washington. Due to ...
(1978–1998) *
Mountain West Conference The Mountain West Conference (MW) is a collegiate athletic conference in the Western United States, participating in NCAA Division I. Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The MW officially began operations on Ja ...
(1999–present)


Discontinued sports

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. In some cases (notably men's crew and men's volleyball), club teams have emerged in place of discontinued sports programs.


Men's former varsity sports

Crew * Year discontinued: 1976 Cross Country * Year discontinued: 1993 * NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship team appearances: 3 (1968 • 1970 • 1976) * NCAA Men's Division II Cross Country Championship team national championships: 3 (1965 • 1966 • 1967) The Aztecs men's cross country team won three consecutive
NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...
national championships in 1965, 1966, and 1967 shortly before the program's ascension to Division I. Gymnastics * Year discontinued: 1974 * NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships team appearances: 1 (1959) Swimming & Diving * Year discontinued: 1985 * NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships team appearances: 1 (1969) *
NCAA Men's Division II Swimming and Diving Championships The NCAA Division II men's swimming and diving championships (formerly the NCAA College Division swimming and diving championships) are contested at an annual swim meet hosted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to determine the indiv ...
team national championships: 2 (1965 • 1966) Men's swimming & diving won back-to-back
NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...
national championships in 1965 and 1966 shortly before the program's transition to Division I. Track & Field (Indoor and Outdoor) * Year discontinued: 1992 *
NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships The NCAA Men's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championship is an annual college athletics, collegiate indoor track and field competition for men organised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The first edition of the championship w ...
team appearances: 1 (1979) * NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships team appearances: 14 (1965 • 1966 • 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1974 • 1976 • 1977 • 1979 • 1980 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1989) * NCAA Division II Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships team national championships: 2 (1965 • 1966) The men's track & field team won back-to-back
NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...
outdoor national championships in 1965 and 1966 shortly before the program's transition to Division I. Volleyball * Year discontinued: 2001 *
NCAA men's volleyball tournament The NCAA men's volleyball tournament, officially titled the NCAA national collegiate men's volleyball championship, is an annual competition that determines the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship in American college men ...
appearances: 2 (1972 • 1973) * NCAA men's volleyball tournament National Championship: 1 (
1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
) The men's volleyball team won San Diego State's first (and to-date only)
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...
National Championship in 1973. The team's home court was Peterson Gymnasium. Water Polo * Year discontinued: 1978 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. Wrestling * Year discontinued: 1992 *
NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships The NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championships have been held since 1928. In addition to determining the national champion in each weight class, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships also determines All-American wrestlers for each weight ...
team appearances: 3 (1956 • 1969 • 1992) 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 The NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championships have been held since 1928. In addition to determining the national champion in each weight class, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships also determines All-American wrestlers for each weight ...
.


Women's former varsity sports

Field Hockey * Year discontinued: 1978 Gymnastics * Year discontinued: 1985


Rowing

* Year discontinued: 2021 The women's rowing team, which had last competed in the
American Athletic Conference The American Athletic Conference (AAC), also known as The American, is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States, featuring 13 full member universities and 6 affiliate member universities that compete in t ...
, was discontinued following the 2020–21 academic year due to ongoing
Title IX Title IX is a landmark federal civil rights law in the United States that was enacted as part (Title IX) of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receiv ...
gender equity challenges and financial stress on the athletics department brought on by the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. The team's home was the Mission Bay Aquatic Center.


Athletic facilities


Venues


Other facilities


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. 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.


Co-ed Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
club teams

* Cycling *Sailing * Skiing & Snowboarding * Surfing * Tennis * Triathlon * Waterskiing & Wakesports


Men's club teams

* Baseball * Crew * Ice Hockey * Lacrosse * Rugby * Soccer * Ultimate Frisbee * Volleyball * Water Polo


Women's club teams

* Dance * Gymnastics * Lacrosse * Soccer * Ultimate Frisbee * Volleyball * Water Polo


Championships


NCAA tournament appearances

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. * Baseball (14): 1979 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1986 • 1990 • 1991 • 2009 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2017 • 2018 * Men's basketball (14): 1975 • 1976 • 1985 • 2002 • 2006 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2018 • 2021 • 2022 * Women's basketball (9): 1984 • 1985 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1997 • 2009 • 2010 • 2012 * Women's cross country (1): 1981 * Football (18): 1947 • 1951 • 1966 • 1967 • 1969 • 1986 • 1991 • 1998 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 * Men's golf (23): 1960 • 1962 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1970 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1999 • 2003 • 2005 • 2008 • 2011 • 2012 • 2015 • 2016 * Men's soccer (8): 1969 • 1982 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 2005 • 2006 • 2016 * Women's soccer (7): 1998 • 1999 • 2009 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2017 * Softball (11): 2001 • 2003 • 2006 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 2022 * Women's swimming and diving (8): 1982 • 2010 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2017 • 2019 * Men's tennis (7): 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2002 • 2003 • 2005 • 2015 * Women's tennis (22): 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2002 • 2003 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2009 • 2013 * Women's indoor track and field (10): 2006 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 * Women's outdoor track and field (22): 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1998 • 1999 • 2001 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 * Women's volleyball (14): 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 2001 • 2012 * Women's water polo (3): 2007 • 2008 • 2016


National championships


Division I championships

The Aztecs of San Diego State have earned 1 NCAA national championship at the Division I level. * Men's Volleyball ( 1):
1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...


Division II championships

San Diego State won 7 national championships while at the Division II level. * 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): * Football (3): 1966 (both polls), 1967 (both polls), 1968 (coaches' poll) (NCAA College Division)


NAIA championship

Basketball (1):
1941 The Correlates of War project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 3.49 million. However, the Uppsala Conflict Data Program estimates that the subsequent year, 1942, wa ...
(NAIA)


Other championships

SDSU's cheerleading and dance teams have won national championships. * Cheerleading (2): 2009, 2011 * Dance (1): 2011 Below are eleven national club team championships: * Men's badminton (1): 1976 ( ABA) * Flowboarding (1): 2011 (
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
) * Rugby (1): 1987 (
USA Rugby USA Rugby (formally the United States of America Rugby Football Union, Ltd.) is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. Its role is to achieve and maintain “high levels of quality in all aspects of rugby ...
) * Sailing (2): 1968, 1969 ( ICSA) * Surfing (2): 2007, 2013 ( NSSA) *Men's water polo (1): 2017 (CWPA) *Women's water polo (1): 201
(CWPA)
*Waterskiing (2): 1979, 2006 ( NCWSA)


Individual Championships

San Diego State has had 15 individuals win NCAA individual national championships at the Division I level. At the NCAA Division II level, San Diego State garnered 14 individual championships. In 1975 Barbara Barrow won the women's national intercollegiate individual golf championship after a tie-breaker playoff (an event conducted by the
AIAW The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) was a college athletics organization in the United States, founded in 1971 to govern women's college competitions in the country and to administer national championships (see AIAW Cham ...
, which was succeeded by the current NCAA women's golf championship).


National Award Winners


Rivals


BYU

SDSU athletics has had a rivalry with the
BYU Cougars The BYU Cougars are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Brigham Young University (BYU), located in Provo, Utah. BYU fields 21 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) varsity athletic teams. They are a member of the Big 12 C ...
of
Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...
since at least the 1980s when both programs were members of the
Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the Western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, Texas, Utah and Washington (state), Washington. Due to ...
. The rivalry intensified after both schools left the conference to become charter members of the
Mountain West Conference The Mountain West Conference (MW) is a collegiate athletic conference in the Western United States, participating in NCAA Division I. Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The MW officially began operations on Ja ...
in 1999. Through their many years in the same conferences, the Aztecs and Cougars were routinely tough 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.


Fresno State

San Diego State has a longtime rivalry with
California State University, Fresno California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California, United States. It is part of the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers 60 ba ...
, 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.


San Diego

The Aztecs have a local rivalry with the
University of San Diego The University of San Diego (USD) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in San Diego, California, United States. Chartered in 1949 as the independent San Diego College for Women and San Diego University ...
's San Diego Toreros, emphasizing the competition in college men's basketball. The rivalry has featured many competitions in neutral locations such as Petco Park across many sports.


UC San Diego

Though more of a rivalry historically outside of sports, the
University of California, San Diego The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego in communications material, formerly and colloquially UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California, United States. Es ...
, the other major public university in San Diego, represents another local rival of SDSU. The
UC San Diego Tritons The UC San Diego Tritons are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of California, San Diego. The Tritons compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big West Conference (BWC). ...
joined
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...
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"''.


San Jose State

El Camino Real Rivalry The rivalry between the two Cal State schools dates back to 1935. The matchup is named after the historic 600-mile Camino Real that connects the 21 Spanish missions in
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, stretching from
San Diego Bay San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port in San Diego County, California, near the Mexico–United States border. The bay, which is long and wide, is the third largest of the three large, protected natural bays on California's of ...
in the south to
San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay (Chochenyo language, Chochenyo: 'ommu) is a large tidal estuary in the United States, U.S. state of California, and gives its name to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is dominated by the cities of San Francisco, California, San ...
in the north. 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.


Aztec Hall of Fame inductees

:''See:
Hall of fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
and footnote''Traditions: Aztec Hall of Fame
webpage. San Diego State Aztec Athletics official website. Retrieved 2011-02-25.


Notable athletes

::''See also the
List of San Diego State University people This is a list of notable present and former faculty, staff, and students of San Diego State University (SDSU). Alumni Entertainment, arts, and media * Lloyd Bryan Molander Adams, executive producer, channel executive and director * ...
'' *
Marcelo Balboa Marcelo Balboa (born August 8, 1967) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a defender in the 1990s for the United States national team, becoming its captain. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. After r ...
,
World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the name is ...
and Major League Soccer (MLS) soccer star *
Bud Black Harry Ralston "Bud" Black (born June 30, 1957) is an American professional baseball manager and pitcher who most recently served as manager of the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB from 1981 through 1995, most not ...
, former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher and manager of the
Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Th ...
* Jim Campbell, former MLB pitcher * Joe Corona, current
U.S. international The U.S. International (officially Yonex / K&D Graphics International) is an open international badminton tournament held in Orange County, California, United States. This tournament previously a BWF Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold, Grand Prix level ...
soccer player *
Isaac Curtis Isaac Fisher Curtis (born October 20, 1950) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) and spent his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals (1973–1984). He played colleg ...
, former National Football League (NFL) receiver * Jeff DaVanon, former MLB player (
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The franchise was established ...
) *
Fred Dryer John Frederick Dryer (born July 6, 1946) is an American actor, radio host, and former professional football player. He was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 years, participating in 176 games starting in 1969 until ...
, actor-producer and former NFL player *
Herm Edwards Herman Lee Edwards (born April 27, 1954) is an American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players ...
,
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...
head coach *
Marshall Faulk Marshall William Faulk (born February 26, 1973) is an American former professional American football, football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons and is the current running backs coach at the Colorado ...
,
Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...
NFL running back and broadcaster * John Fox, former
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
,
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
, and
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
head coach *
Mark Grace Mark Eugene Grace (born June 28, 1964) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman who spent 13 seasons with the Chicago Cubs and three seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks of the National League (NL). He was a member of t ...
, retired MLB player and
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
champion *
Tony Gwynn Anthony Keith Gwynn Sr. (May 9, 1960 – June 16, 2014), nicknamed "Mr. Padre", was an American professional baseball right fielder, who played 20 seasons (1982–2001) in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres. The left-handed hi ...
,
Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...
r (and San Diego State baseball head coach at the time of his death in 2014) * Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, former NFL player with the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
*
Joe Gibbs Joseph Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940) is an American auto racing team owner and former American football, football coach. He served as the head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1981 Washingto ...
, former NFL head coach of the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
and current NASCAR team owner * Az-Zahir Hakim, former NFL wide receiver * Kameron Kelly, defensive back for the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
* Armen Keteyian, sports journalist,
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
Sports, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel *
Travis Lee Travis Reynolds Lee (born May 26, 1975) is an American former professional first baseman and outfielder who played in Major League Baseball. Amateur career Lee graduated from Capital High School in Olympia, Washington in 1993, where he also ...
, former MLB player *
Kawhi Leonard Kawhi Anthony Leonard ( ; born June 29, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A two-time NBA champion, he is a six-time NBA All-Star, All-Star and a six- ...
, NBA Small Forward for the
Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...
, 2014 and 2019 NBA Finals MVP, 2015 and 2016 NBA Defensive Player of the Year *
Art Linkletter Arthur Gordon Linkletter (born Gordon Arthur Kelly or Arthur Gordon Kelly; sources differ; July 17, 1912 – May 26, 2010) was a Canadian-born American radio and television personality. He was the host of '' House Party'', which ran on CBS radio ...
, SDSU basketball player and swimmer who went on to a decades-long career as a radio and TV personality * Chris Marlowe, Sportscaster, former Olympic volleyball player *
Kirk Morrison Kirk David Morrison (born February 19, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs. Morrison was selected by the ...
, former NFL linebacker with
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
* Haven Moses, former NFL receiver, 2x
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...
er * Kassim Osgood, former NFL receiver *
Rashaad Penny Rashaad Armein Penny (born February 2, 1996) is an American former professional football running back who played for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for the San D ...
, running back for the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
* Noel Prefontaine, former
Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
kicker * Donnel Pumphrey, former NFL running back * Jimmy Raye, former NFL player * Darnay Scott, former
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
wide receiver * Don Shaw, former MLB pitcher * Brian Sipe, former NFL quarterback * Xander Schauffele, PGA Tour golfer * Webster Slaughter, former American football wide receiver * Dave Smith, former MLB pitcher *
Stephen Strasburg Stephen James Strasburg (; born July 20, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who spent his entire 13-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Washington Nationals. He is a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star G ...
, MLB pitcher for the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...
*
Carl Weathers Carl Weathers (January 14, 1948 – February 1, 2024) was an American actor, director and gridiron football player. His prominent roles included boxer Apollo Creed in the first four ''Rocky'' films (1976–1985), Colonel Al Dillon in ''Predat ...
, actor/former NFL player most famous for playing
Apollo Creed Apollo Creed is a fictional character from the ''Rocky'' franchise, portrayed by Carl Weathers. He appears in the first four '' Rocky'' films, serving as the main antagonist in '' Rocky'' and '' Rocky II'', and later becoming one of the pr ...
in the ''Rocky'' film series *
Eric Wynalda Eric Boswell Wynalda (born June 9, 1969) is an American soccer coach, television commentator, and former player. He was formerly an analyst and color commentator for soccer coverage on Fox Sports 1 and ESPN. Previously, he served as head coach ...
, former World Cup and MLS soccer star, former
ABC Sports ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial America ...
broadcaster, current head coach of Las Vegas Lights FC * Jeanne Zelasko, sports journalist,
Fox Sports Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world. The name originates from Fox Broadcasting Company in the United States, which in turn derives its name from Fox Fi ...


Footnotes


References


External links

* {{navboxes , titlestyle={{CollegePrimaryStyle, San Diego State Aztecs, color=white , list= {{Mountain West Conference navbox {{Big 12 Conference navbox {{Golden Coast Conference navbox {{Pac-12 Conference navbox {{San Diego Sports {{College Sports in California College sports in California College football teams in California College basketball teams in California Native American mascots Native American cultural appropriation