Gonzaga University Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane , Washington , United States . Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus , it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint Aloysius Gonzaga . The campus houses 105 buildings across 131 acres ( 437 , 000 m² ) of grassland along the Spokane River , in a residential setting half a mile ( 800 m ) from downtown Spokane . The university was founded by Father Joseph Cataldo , SJ , an Italian - born priest and missionary who wished to create a Catholic school in the Pacific Northwest for local Native Americans . Campus . Foley Center Library is the main graduate and undergraduate library for Gonzaga University . Chastek Law Library primarily serves Gonzaga University School of Law . Gonzaga is host to many unique historical pieces of artwork . For example , a wide range of statues located around campus gives visitors and students alike a taste of the Gonzaga culture . Statues of St . Ignatius , St . Joseph , and St . Aloysius are among the most notable religious landmarks on campus , and there is also a statue of Bing Crosby . Organization and administration . The 2009 – 10 operating budget is $ 206 . 6 million , with an annual payroll of $ 71 . 9 million . The average class size is 23 students and there are 364 employed faculty ; the student / faculty ratio is 11 : 1 . There are 38 Jesuits on campus and 24 of them are employed by the University . There are 648 non - faculty employees . Enrollment in 2009 – 10 was 7 , 682 ( 4 , 729 undergraduate ) students . The university ranks third in the U . S . News & World Report rankings for Universities - Master ' s in the West . The university is divided into six colleges or schools : Academics . Gonzaga ' s liberal arts tradition lies in its core curriculum , which integrates philosophy , religious studies , mathematics , literature , natural and social sciences , and extensive writing in each major discipline . Gonzaga offers studies in 92 fields and 26 graduate programs . In addition , Gonzaga offers programs in preparation for professional schools in business , education , engineering , dentistry , divinity / theology , law , medicine , nursing and veterinary medicine . Gonzaga also sponsors an Army ROTC program which prepares students to become commissioned officers upon graduation . Additionally , Gonzaga University partners with Bishop White Seminary , located next to the campus , to prepare Catholic Seminarians for the priesthood . Students may study abroad at Gonzaga ' s campus in Florence , Italy , or at other programs in Australia , Benin , British West Indies , China , Costa Rica , England , France , Japan , Kenya , Mexico , Spain and Zambia . Gonzaga ' s admission standards are considered " more selective " by U . S . News & World Report . Gonzaga boasts a high average SAT score for entering students of 1202 ( CR + M ) and an average ACT score of 27 . Moreover , Forbes ranks Gonzaga as the 182nd best private school in the country . Athletics . Gonzaga University , whose official mascot is the Bulldog and whose players are nicknamed the " Zags , " is part of the NCAA Division I West Coast Conference . Gonzaga became a household name with their " Cinderella " run in the NCAA tournament in 1999 , which saw Gonzaga make it to the " Elite Eight . " Gonzaga continued to build on that success , and now has one of the highest regarded basketball programs in the country . Since that historic run in 1999 , Gonzaga has experienced notable success in the West Coast Conference as well as in the NCAA tournament , for which they have played in 15 consecutive years . Gonzaga ' s basketball feats include 15 WCC regular titles , 5 " Sweet 16 ' s , " produced 15 All Americans , a national player of the year in Adam Morrison , and 4 NBA first round picks as of 2012 . Additionally , in 2013 , Canadian center Kelly Olynyk , a national Player of the Year finalist , was selected as a first team All American . In 2012 - 2013 Gonzaga was ranked # 1 by the AP for the first time in school history . Its highest ranking before reaching the pinnacle of college hoops came in 2004 , when the Bulldogs were ranked # 2 . Basketball games are held in the McCarthey Athletic Center . The university ' s men ' s basketball team , which did not make its first appearance in the NCAA tournament until 1995 ( more than a decade after NBA Hall of Fame player and Gonzaga alum John Stockton graduated ) , has made the regional finals of the NCAA tournament ( " Elite Eight " ) in 1999 , re - appearing in the tournament every year since . The Ladies basketball made it to the sweet sixteen in 2010 . Three of Gonzaga ' s most recent notable athletes are basketball players — former center Ronny Turiaf ( now playing for the Los Angeles Clippers ) ; Robert Sacre 2012 NBA Draft ( selected by the Los Angeles Lakers third overall 2006 NBA Draft pick and Red Star Belgrade Adam Morrison ( who was selected by the Charlotte Bobcats ) , regarded for his likeness to Hall of Famer Larry Bird ; and Courtney Vandersloot , 2011 winner of the Nancy Lieberman Award as the leading Division I women ' s point guard and women ' s Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the top Division I player no taller than 5 ' 8 " ( 1 . 73 m ) , selected third overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2011 WNBA Draft . Men ' s head coach Mark Few was the West Coast Conference coach of the year from 2001 to 2006 , and again in 2008 . Women ' s head coach Kelly Graves , a six - time WCC coach of the year , has led the Zags to seven consecutive WCC regular - season titles and four WCC tournament titles . The 2010 – 11 women ' s team , a # 11 seed in that year ' s NCAA Tournament , became the lowest seed ever to advance to a regional final in the history of the women ' s tournament . Like some other smaller colleges , Gonzaga ' s football program ended in the Fall of 1941 , just before the U . S . entry into World War II , but not before producing two Pro Football Hall of Fame rs : Tony Canadeo ' 41 of the Green Bay Packers , and Ray Flaherty ' 26 , head coach of the Washington Redskins . In addition , Flaherty recruited former Bulldog football stars , Ed Justice , George " Automatic " Karamatic and Max Krause to play in the Redskin backfield . Gonzaga football ended due to declining enrollment of young male athletes . Efforts to restart the program in 1946 were unsuccessful , and the football stadium was razed in 1949 . Intramurals and extracurricular . Gonzaga University offers a multitude of intramural and club sports for each season , open to all students , and over 72 % of the student population participates . Through intramural sports , students compete against fellow students . Gonzaga offers various levels ranging from A to D , with D being the lowest level . In the fall Gonzaga offers golf , soccer , flag football , volleyball , dodge ball , 3 - on - 3 basketball , badminton and various tournaments . In the winter soccer , frisbee , volleyball , pickle ball , bench press competition , and handball tournaments are offered . During the spring softball , spring triathlon , and home run derbies are offered . For a complete list of sports and times visit the official Gonzaga University website . Gonzaga also has an Army ROTC Ranger Challenge team , which has won 15 championships in the last 16 years , and is a multiple winner of the Douglas MacArthur Award , given annually to the best Army ROTC program in the Western United States . Student life . Gonzaga Student Body Association ( " GSBA " ) , is in charge of the clubs and activities on campus . Elections for offices such as President , Vice President , and Senator take place annually during the fall . In addition , the university requires all Freshman and Sophomore students reside on campus . The Knights and Setons are Gonzaga ’ s sophomore service clubs that are made up of 60 sophomores ( 30 men make up the Knights , and 30 women make up the Setons ) . Every year , the Knights and Setons raise money for a charity of their choice , their most successful fund raiser being the charity ball held every fall . They do charity work all over the university and are involved in events such as New Student Orientation and Graduation . Knights of Columbus . Gonzaga has denied permission for the formation of a Knights of Columbus council on its campus on the ground that the Knights of Columbus limits its membership to male Catholics and is therefore discriminatory . As noted above , Gonzaga is controlled by the Society of Jesus , the Jesuits , an organization which limits its membership to male Catholics . Student publications . " The Gonzaga Bulletin " is the official , weekly student newspaper of Gonzaga University . The newspaper is staffed largely by students of the journalism and broadcasting department of the university ' s communication arts department and managed by a faculty adviser and an advisory board which reports to the university president . During the 1990s , the paper was recognized for its independence and excellence by the Society of Professional Journalists , winning Best Paper in the Inland Northwest Awards twice . " The Gonzaga Bulletin " is designed on the 4th floor of Gonzaga ' s College Hall . It is printed off - site in Spokane and transported to campus for distribution . " Spires " is Gonzaga ' s official yearbook . It details the academic year through pictures and articles . The yearbook is distributed at the beginning of each year and is free to all students . To ensure you are featured in the yearbook , get your picture taken during opening weekend or Fall Family weekend .