# Chico State Wildcats

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

| Men's sports | Women's sports |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross country |
| Cross country | Golf |
| Golf | Soccer |
| Soccer | Softball |
| Track and field$^†$ | Track and field$^†$ |
| | Volleyball |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor. ||

### 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
| School year | Sport | Opponent | Score |
| 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 |
| 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 Oliver Neil Glenesk Chris Webb Peter Hovland | Men's swimming and diving |
| 5 | 1973–74 | Chris Webb Stuart Kahn Steve Wallen Peter Hovland | Men's swimming and diving |
| 6 | 1973–74 | Chris Webb Don Tayenaka Stuart Kahn Peter 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 Gates Ed Dammel Dave Tittle Peter Hovland | Men's swimming and diving |
| 11 | 1975–76 | Tom Hayslett Mike Wallen Timothy Buckley Peter Hovland | Men's swimming and diving |
| 12 | 1975–76 | Chris Webb Larry Gates Dave Tittle Peter 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 Berry Larry Gates Michael Finch Dave Tittle | Men's swimming and diving |
| 19 | 1976–77 | Michael Finch Larry Gates Scott Berry Dave 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 Tittle Larry Gates Michael Finch Arthur Hickey | Men's swimming and diving |
| 26 | 1977–78 | Dave Tittle Larry Gates Michael Finch Arthur 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 & diving

CSU Chico 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.