Minnesota Golden Gophers The Minnesota Golden Gophers ( commonly shortened to Gophers ) are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota . The university fields both men ' s and women ' s teams in basketball , cross country , golf , gymnastics , ice hockey , swimming , tennis , and track and field . Men ' s - specific sports include baseball , football , and wrestling . Women ' s - specific sports include rowing , soccer , softball , and volleyball . In men ' s and women ' s ice hockey , the Gophers belong to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association . In all other sports , they belong to the Big Ten Conference . Most of the facilities that the teams use for training and competitive play are located on the East Bank of the Minneapolis campus . There are arenas for men and women basketball ( Williams Arena ) as well as hockey ( Mariucci Arena and Ridder Arena ) . The Gopher football team began playing at TCF Bank Stadium in September 2009 . The women ' s soccer team plays on the St . Paul campus in Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium . The Cheerleaders and the Dance Team are also part of the university ' s athletic department ; they are present at events for basketball , hockey , football , and volleyball . During the 2006 – 2007 academic year , the Golden Gophers wrestling team won the NCAA national championship and the Big Ten team title . The Golden Gophers also won conference championships in men ' s hockey , men ' s golf , women ' s rowing , men ' s swimming and diving , and women ' s indoor track and field . Traditions . Maroon and Gold . In 1880 , the University of Minnesota was preparing for spring graduation . For the previous 29 years , different graduation colors were used every ceremony . In spring 1880 , President Folwell began a tradition of common school colors at the University . He asked an English instructor , Mrs . Augusta Smith , to select proper colors to use for graduation ribbons and other occasions . She chose maroon and gold , which made a favorable impression on the students and faculty in 1880 . As the years passed and without any kind of formal action , maroon and gold became the official school colors . The " Golden " Gophers . The Gopher mascot is a tradition as old as the state . Minnesota was tabbed the “ Gopher State ” in 1857 after a satirizing cartoon , depicting nine Gophers with the heads of local politicians pulling a locomotive , was published . The story was over legislative action for a $ 5 million railroad proposal in western Minnesota . Later , the University picked up the nickname . The “ Golden ” adjective has not always been a part of the Gopher nickname . During the 1930s , the Gophers wore gold jerseys and pants . Legendary KSTP radio announcer Halsey Hall coined the term “ Golden Gophers ” in reference to the team ’ s all - gold attire on the field . From 1932 through 1941 , Minnesota compiled an impressive record , losing only 12 games and winning seven Big Ten titles and five national championships — a true “ golden ” decade of Gopher football . School songs . School song s for the university include Minnesota Rouser , Minnesota March , Go Gopher Victory , Our Minnesota , Minnesota Fight , Hail ! Minnesota , and the Battle Hymn of the Republic . " Notes : With the exception of football , national championships are awarded by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The NCAA itself does not award a championship for Division I - A football . The NCAA began awarding national championships for men ' s basketball in 1939 ; previous championships were retroactively awarded by the Helms Athletic Foundation . The NCAA began awarding national championships for men ' s ice hockey in 1948 ; previous championships were awarded by the Amateur Athletic Union and by the National Intercollegiate Athletic Association . The NCAA began awarding national championships for women ' s ice hockey in 2001 ; previous championships were awarded by the American Women ' s College Hockey Alliance . " Men ' s basketball . " Note : A 1997 Big Ten regular season championship , NCAA Tournament appearances in 1994 , 1995 , 1997 ( Final Four ) , and 1999 , as well as NIT appearances in 1996 and 1998 ( Championship ) were vacated due to NCAA sanctions . " Golf . Men ' s golf Women ' s golf Gymnastics . Men ' s gymnastics Women ' s gymnastics Spirit Squads . Dance Team Swimming . Men ' s swimming Women ' s swimming Men ' s track . Outdoor track and field Indoor track and field Women ' s track . Outdoor track and field Indoor track and field Notable non varsity sports . Rugby . Minnesota rugby plays Division 1 college rugby in the Big Ten Universities conference against traditional Big 10 rivals such as Wisconsin and Iowa . Minnesota qualified for the national playoffs in 2011 , and finished the 2011 season ranked 7th in the nation . Some of Minnesota ' s games have been well attended by fans , with the team drawing as many as 6 , 000 fans to watch the team play at TCF Bank Stadium . Notable athletes and coaches . Track and Field . Men ' s . NCAA Champions Outdoor . Current Roster of the Minnesota Gophers Track & Field team 2009 – 2010