The San Jose State Spartans is the name of the athletic teams representing San Jose State University. SJSU sports teams compete in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) at the NCAA Division I level. (Football Bowl Subdivision formally known as Division 1-A for football.) The university has participated in athletics since it first fielded a baseball team in 1890.
San Jose State University sports teams have won NCAA national titles in track and field, cross country, golf, and boxing. As of 2012, SJSU has won 10 NCAA Division 1 national team championships and produced 50 NCAA Division 1 national individual champions. SJSU also has achieved an international reputation for its judo program, winning 45 collegiate judo national championships in 51 years (as of 2012).
SJSU alumni have won 19 Olympic medals (including seven gold medals) dating back to the first gold medal won by Willie Steel in track and field in the 1948 Olympics. Alumni also have won medals in swimming, judo and boxing.
The legendary track team coached by "Bud" Winter earned San Jose the nickname "Speed City," and produced Olympic medalists and social activists Lee Evans, John Carlos and Tommie Smith. Smith and Carlos are perhaps best remembered for giving the raised fist salute from the medalist's podium during the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City.
As of 2010, current head coaches from the women's golf, women's gymnastics, men's soccer, and women's soccer programs had all received conference "Coach of the Year" honors.
San Jose State is the last WAC member from 1996 still in the conference, as between 1999-2012, the other 15 WAC members from 1996 left for either the Mountain West Conference or Conference USA. San Jose State themselves will leave on July 1, 2013 to join the MWC.
Read more about San Jose State Spartans: Current Athletics Programs, Nickname and Mascot History, Baseball, Basketball, Football, Golf, Hockey, Judo, Soccer, Additional SJSU Athletics Facts
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