Boston University Terriers The Boston University Terriers are the nine men ' s and twelve women ' s varsity athletic teams representing Boston University in NCAA Division I competition . The men compete in basketball , cross country , ice hockey , rowing , soccer , swimming , tennis , indoor and outdoor track , and wrestling . Women compete in basketball , cross country , golf , ice hockey , field hockey , lacrosse , rowing , soccer , swimming , tennis , indoor and outdoor track , and softball . There is no varsity baseball team . Boston University ' s team nickname is the Terriers , and the official mascot is Rhett the Boston Terrier . The school colors are Scarlet and White . The mascot is named Rhett in a reference to Gone With the Wind , because " no one loves Scarlet more than Rhett . " Ice hockey . Boston University ' s ice hockey team is the most successful sports program at the school , with five national championships ( 1971 , 1972 , 1978 , 1995 , 2009 ) and 21 appearances in the Frozen Four . The Terriers have also been the national runners - up five times , and have won five ECAC tournament championships and seven Hockey East tournament championships . Many of BU ' s hockey players have gone on to successful careers in the NHL . Since 1984 the Terriers have played in the Hockey East Conference , along with crosstown arch - rivals Boston College . The series with Boston College is known as the Green Line Rivalry or the Battle of Commonwealth Avenue . Under long - time coach and former player , Jack Parker , BU excelled in the 90 ' s , winning six Hockey East regular season titles , four Hockey East tournament titles , the 1995 National Championship and 3 National runner - up trophies . BU missed the Frozen Four for 11 consecutive seasons beginning in 1998 but returned to glory by winning the national championship in 2009 . BU has dominated the annual Beanpot tournament , which has been contested by the Terriers , BC , Northeastern and Harvard since the 1952 – 53 season . The televised tourney is a local institution , played in front of annual sellouts at the TD Banknorth Garden , and is a fierce battle for bragging rights . As of 2010 , the Terriers have won 29 of 58 Beanpots and 12 of the last 16 . Other varsity sports . For most other sports , BU competes in the America East Conference ( formerly called the North Atlantic Conference ) . The Men ' s Basketball team earned post - season berths in the NCAA tournament or NIT four straight seasons between 2002 and 2005 and also in 2011 . They are known to have a rivalry with the Albany Great Danes and the Vermont Catamounts . The program is notable for grooming big name college coaches such as Rick Pitino , Mike Jarvis , Patrick Chambers and Joseph Bianco . The Terriers also have a history of national success in men ' s and women ' s soccer , field hockey , and women ' s lacrosse . The men ' s and women ' s rowing teams compete in the EARC and EAWRC respectively , the oldest and most competitive conference in collegiate rowing . In 1991 and 1992 women ' s rowing won back to back national championships . Here is a complete list of current varsity sports : Men ' s Basketball , Men ' s Track & Field and Cross Country , Men ' s Soccer , Men ' s Tennis , Men ' s Crew , Men ' s Ice Hockey , Men ' s Swimming & Diving , Women ' s Softball , Women ' s Basketball , Women ' s Lacrosse , Women ' s Tennis , Women ' s Swimming & Diving , Women ' s Track & Field and Cross Country , Women ' s Field Hockey , Women ' s Crew , Women ' s Track & Field and Cross Country , Women ' s Golf , Women ' s Soccer , Women ' s Ice Hockey , BU Wrestling Dropping football . Boston University terminated their DI - AA football program on Homecoming Weekend 1997 during a one - win season in the Atlantic 10 . The players at the time were allowed to keep their 4 - year scholarships or transfer without NCAA penalties . The University has used the former - football scholarships to comply with Title IX requirements . Since dropping football , BU has improved its facilities for other sports , including hockey , assuaging critics ' concerns that football was dropped as part of a plan to neglect athletics . BU has rejected efforts to revive the program citing the lack of support from a local fan base . Proponents often argue that a football revival would increase alumni contributions , exceeding potential program losses . However , starting in 2010 , BU football has started to make its return with a new club team being formed and fielded that same year . Other club sports include lacrosse , ski , baseball team , golf team , sailing , rugby , equestrian , golf , water polo , volleyball , ballroom dance , cheerleading , cycling , dance , dance theater , figure skating , gymnastics , inline skating , Kendo , snowboarding , synchronized swimming , and ultimate frisbee . New facilities . In 2005 , Boston University opened Agganis Arena for Hockey and Basketball . The facility was designed as a hockey arena : a departure from BU ' s Walter Brown Arena which had the smallest playing ice in Division I . Agganis Arena seats six to seven thousand , and also serves the city of Boston as a mid - size venue for popular events that could not fill the 18 , 624 seat TD Garden ( previously the Fleet Center ) . The arena is named after Harry Agganis , " The Golden Greek , " BU alumnus , Terrier sports star , Boston Red Sox first baseman , and Boston native who died of a pulmonary embolism in 1955 at the age of 26 . Other facilities include the indoor Track and Tennis Center and the Fitness and Recreation Center , which includes a pool and diving well for the swim teams . The 200 meter indoor track is modelled on the previous high - banked armory track , which attracted programs looking to run fast times . The turns , banked up to 18 . 5 degrees help runners push through turns at normal speed and rhythm , and can produce many personal indoor bests . The Track and Tennis Center hosts the annual BU Invitational . Hi Outdoor track , soccer , lacrosse , field hockey and other outdoor sports continue to be played on the artificial surface of Nickerson Field . Conference change . Starting in 2013 , Boston University will leave the America East conference and join the Patriot League for sports that currently compete in America East .