The Chico State Wildcats (also CSU Chico Wildcats and Cal State Chico Wildcats) are the athletic teams that represent California State University, Chico, located in Chico, California, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Wildcats compete as an associate member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association for all 13 varsity sports. Since 1998, Chico State’s athletic teams have won 99 NCAA Championship berths, 40 CCAA titles, 24 West Region titles and 15 National titles. The school finished third in the 2004–2005 NACDA Director's Cup.

Varsity sports Baseball Basketball Basketball Cross country Cross country Golf Golf Soccer Soccer Softball Track and field† Track and field† Volleyball

Baseball The Chico State baseball team plays at the 4,100–seat Nettleton Stadium, known as Ray Bohler Field until its 1997 renovation. The Wildcats won the NCAA Division II national title in 1997 and 1999, and was runner-up in 2002 and 2006; all four appearances in the finals were under head coach Lindsay Meggs. The head coach since 2007 is Dave Taylor. Big Blue Bird is the 2019 All Star.

Softball The Wildcats softball team won the first AIAW Division III national championship in 1980, led by pitcher Kathy Arendsen.

Men's soccer The men's soccer reached the Division II College Cup final in 2003, losing 2–1 to Lynn University.

Championships

Appearances

The Chico State Wildcats competed in the NCAA Tournament across 13 active sports (6 men's and 7 women's) 220 times at the Division II level.

Baseball (20): 1978, 1987, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 Men's basketball (14): 1958, 1974, 1981, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Women's basketball (13): 1987, 1988, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 Men's cross country (24): 1969, 1972, 1973, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Women's cross country (21): 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Men's golf (17): 1963, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 Women's golf (1): 2009 Men's soccer (13): 1972, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1992, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2018 Women's soccer (8): 1992, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2017, 2018 Softball (12): 1982, 1983, 1984, 2002, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Men's outdoor track and field (45): 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Women's outdoor track and field (27): 1982, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993• 1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Women's volleyball (5): 1992, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2016

Team The Wildcats of Chico State earned 6 NCAA championships at the Division II level and one NCAA championship at the Division III level.

Men's (6) Baseball (2): 1997, 1999 Golf (1): 1966 Swimming and diving (3): 1973, 1974, 1976 Swimming and diving (1): 1975

Results

1965–66 Men's golf Lamar 1,206–1,207 1972–73 Men's swimming and diving UC Irvine 262–212 1973–74 Men's swimming and diving UC Davis 285–227 1974–75 Men's swimming and diving Johns Hopkins 465-209 1975–76 Men's swimming and diving CSU Northridge 428–283 1996–97 Baseball Central Oklahoma 13–12 1998–99 Baseball Kennesaw State 11–5

Chico State won 1 national championship at the Division III level.

Men's swimming and diving: 1975

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

Softball – Division III (1): 1980 (AIAW)

Below are five national club team championships:

Women's rugby: 2001, 2018 (USA Rugby) Co-ed wakeboarding: 2010, 2012 (USA Wakeboarding) // 2012 (College Wake)

Individual Chico State had 59 Wildcats win NCAA individual championships at the Division II level.

NCAA individual championships Order School year Athlete(s) Sport Source 1 1964–65 William Courtner Men's swimming and diving 2 1964–65 Bill Latcone Men's outdoor track and field 3 1968–69 DuWayne Ray Men's outdoor track and field 4 1972–73 Bruce OliverNeil GleneskChris WebbPeter Hovland Men's swimming and diving 5 1973–74 Chris WebbStuart KahnSteve WallenPeter Hovland Men's swimming and diving 6 1973–74 Chris WebbDon TayenakaStuart KahnPeter Hovland Men's swimming and diving 7 1973–74 Bob Harden Men's gymnastics 8 1973–74 Chris Webb Men's swimming and diving 9 1973–74 Peter Hovland Men's swimming and diving 10 1975–76 Larry GatesEd DammelDave TittlePeter Hovland Men's swimming and diving 11 1975–76 Tom HayslettMike WallenTimothy BuckleyPeter Hovland Men's swimming and diving 12 1975–76 Chris WebbLarry GatesDave TittlePeter Hovland Men's swimming and diving 13 1975–76 Larry Gates Men's swimming and diving 14 1975–76 Peter Hovland Men's swimming and diving 15 1975–76 Peter Hovland Men's swimming and diving 16 1975–76 Peter Hovland Men's swimming and diving 17 1975–76 Mark Lord Men's swimming and diving 18 1976–77 Scott BerryLarry GatesMichael FinchDave Tittle Men's swimming and diving 19 1976–77 Michael FinchLarry GatesScott BerryDave Tittle Men's swimming and diving 20 1976–77 Dennis Chase Men's gymnastics 21 1976–77 Larry Gates Men's swimming and diving 22 1976–77 Larry Gates Men's swimming and diving 23 1976–77 Dave Tittle Men's swimming and diving 24 1976–77 Dave Tittle Men's swimming and diving 25 1977–78 Dave TittleLarry GatesMichael FinchArthur Hickey Men's swimming and diving 26 1977–78 Dave TittleLarry GatesMichael FinchArthur Hickey Men's swimming and diving 27 1977–78 Dennis Chase Men's gymnastics 28 1977–78 Larry Gates Men's swimming and diving 29 1977–78 Dave Tittle Men's swimming and diving 30 1977–78 Dave Tittle Men's swimming and diving 31 1978–79 Link Franzini Men's gymnastics 32 1982–83 Tom Harvill Men's swimming and diving 33 1982–83 Tom Harvill Men's swimming and diving 34 1982–83 Tom Harvill Men's swimming and diving 35 1982–83 Brian Spangler Men's swimming and diving 36 1982–83 Brian Spangler Men's swimming and diving 37 1985–86 George Webber Men's swimming and diving 38 1989–90 Jeff Kunselman Men's swimming and diving 39 1989–90 Jeff Kunselman Men's swimming and diving 40 1989–90 Laura Tilly Women's swimming and diving 41 1992–93 John Burton Men's outdoor track and field 42 1992–93 Felicia Harris Women's outdoor track and field 43 1992–93 Felicia Harris Women's outdoor track and field 44 1999–00 Chandra Flinn Women's outdoor track and field 45 2000–01 Jerry Noble Men's outdoor track and field 46 2001–02 J.J. Jakovac Men's golf 47 2001–02 Christa Tebbs Women's outdoor track and field 48 2003–04 J.J. Jakovac Men's golf 49 2004–05 Jon Rozborski Men's outdoor track and field 50 2006–07 Scott Bauhs Men's outdoor track and field 51 2006–07 Charlie Serrano Men's outdoor track and field 52 2007–08 Scott Bauhs Men's outdoor track and field 53 2007–08 Sarah Montez Women's outdoor track and field 54 2008–09 Scott Bauhs Men's cross country 55 2009–10 Katrina Rodriguez Women's outdoor track and field 56 2010–11 Kyle Souza Men's golf 57 2011–12 J. Patrick Smith Men's outdoor track and field 58 2012–13 J. Patrick Smith Men's outdoor track and field 59 2013–14 J. Patrick Smith Men's outdoor track and field

At the NCAA Division III level, Chico State garnered 6 individual championships.

Former varsity sports Football Chico State ended its football program in 1997, citing rising insurance costs, in addition to an increased bias in favor of other athletic programs.

College Football Hall of Fame College Football Hall of Fame Name Position Year Inducted Ref Mike Bellotti Head coach 1984-1988 2014

Swimming and diving Chico State won the NCAA Division II national championships in men's swimming and diving in 1973, 1974 and 1976. In 1975, the program was moved to Division III despite objections by the team, its coach and the community at large. The team responded by winning the Division III Championship with a record number of points (465), and the largest margin of victory to that point by an NCAA Swimming program. In 1976, back in Division II, the team set a record for total points scored by a Division II swim team (428) while winning their 4th straight NCAA team championship. The program was eliminated after the 1991 season. At that time, the team had finished in the top 7 at the NCAA championship meet for 19 straight years, 16 of those finishes being top 4 or better.

Other sports Rugby Chico State's team plays college rugby in Division I-AA in the California Conference, playing alongside Fresno State, Stanford, San Jose State, UNR, and Sacramento State.

In 2001, the women's rugby team won a Division I national championship.

In 2019, the men's rugby team won the Pacific West Conference and went on to the Division I-AA national championship game.

References

External links