Western Michigan Broncos
Encyclopedia
The Western Michigan Broncos are a NCAA
Division I FBS team representing Western Michigan University
. They compete in the Mid-American Conference
in men's baseball
, basketball
, football
, soccer
and tennis
; and women's basketball
, cross-country
, golf
, gymnastics
, soccer
, softball, track and field
, and volleyball
. The men's hockey
team competes in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association
.
The facilities include Waldo Stadium
(football), University Arena
(men's and women's basketball, volleyball), Lawson Arena
(hockey), Hyames Field
(baseball), Ebert Field
(softball), Sorensen Courts/West Hills Athletic Club (men's and women's tennis), and Kanley Track
(women's track and field). The soccer teams compete at the WMU Soccer Complex located near the Parkview Campus.
The school's primary intrastate rival is Central Michigan University
.
WMU athletic teams were once known as the Hilltoppers, a reference to the school's location on top of Prospect Hill, but changed their nickname in 1939 to the Broncos to avoid confusion with teams of other schools such as the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
. John Gill, an assistant coach on the football team who later served as head coach, coined the new athletic nickname after approval for the name change was granted by the school's athletic board.
six times, most recently in 1963. In the 1955 College World Series
, WMU finished as the NCAA runner-up, losing to Wake Forest
7–6 in the championship game. The Broncos had a 6–3 lead in the fifth inning of that game.
WMU has won 14 Mid-American Conference championships, including 13 of 19 from 1949 to 1967.
The Broncos are currently coached by Billy Gernon in his first season as WMU manager. They most recently had a 12–42 record in 2010.
. A famous former player is Rob Friend
, who transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara
's Men's Soccer program. He currently plays in Germany
for Borussia Mönchengladbach
of the 1. Fußball-Bundesliga as well as the Canadian National Team
.
.
The Broncos are coached by Colleen Munson. In her two years at WMU, she has compiled a 41-24 (.631) record.
team, who have medalled at competitions around the world. The Bronco's synchronized skating
program consists of a senior team, which competes internationally as well as a collegiate level team which is competitive among the top university and collegiate teams from around the United States.
The team was cut along with Men's Cross Country and Track & Field.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I FBS team representing Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
. They compete in the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
in men's baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
, basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
, football
Western Michigan Broncos football
The Western Michigan Broncos football program represents Western Michigan University in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I and the Mid-American Conference . Western Michigan has competed in football since 1906, when they played three games in their inaugural season...
, soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
; and women's basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
, cross-country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
, soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
, softball, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
. The men's hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team competes in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship...
.
The facilities include Waldo Stadium
Waldo Stadium
Waldo Stadium is a stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Opened in 1939, it now has a capacity of 30,200 spectators.-History:...
(football), University Arena
University Arena (Western Michigan University)
University Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Located in Read Fieldhouse, the arena opened in 1957 and is home to the Western Michigan University Broncos men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball, and gymnastics teams...
(men's and women's basketball, volleyball), Lawson Arena
Lawson Arena
Harry W. Lawson Ice Arena is a 3,667-seat multi-purpose arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The arena's first game was on November 15, 1974 against Algoma University College of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the Western Michigan University Broncos ice hockey team.The building is...
(hockey), Hyames Field
Hyames Field
Robert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field is a baseball stadium located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is currently the home to the baseball team of Western Michigan University...
(baseball), Ebert Field
Ebert Field
Ebert Field is a softball field located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and home to the Western Michigan University softball team. The field is named in honor of Fran Ebert, who started the WMU softball program in 1976. The area seats 400 fans in bleacher seating behind home plate and the first base...
(softball), Sorensen Courts/West Hills Athletic Club (men's and women's tennis), and Kanley Track
Kanley Track
Kanley Track is a track and field complex located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is the outdoor home of the Western Michigan University track and field varsity squad and university clubs. At one time, Kanley Track had been a part of Waldo Stadium, before moving across the street to its current location...
(women's track and field). The soccer teams compete at the WMU Soccer Complex located near the Parkview Campus.
The school's primary intrastate rival is Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
.
WMU athletic teams were once known as the Hilltoppers, a reference to the school's location on top of Prospect Hill, but changed their nickname in 1939 to the Broncos to avoid confusion with teams of other schools such as the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers is the name for all of the men's intercollegiate athletic teams that play for Western Kentucky University. Women's teams are known as Lady Toppers...
. John Gill, an assistant coach on the football team who later served as head coach, coined the new athletic nickname after approval for the name change was granted by the school's athletic board.
Baseball
The baseball team has represented WMU since its first season in 1911, compiling an overall record of 1,744–1,212–23 through 2010. They have appeared in the College World SeriesCollege World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
six times, most recently in 1963. In the 1955 College World Series
1955 College World Series
The NCAA Men's Division I College World Series involved 8 schools playing in double-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college baseball. It began on June 10, and ended with the championship game on June 16...
, WMU finished as the NCAA runner-up, losing to Wake Forest
Wake Forest Demon Deacons baseball
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons baseball team is the intercollegiate baseball team of Wake Forest University. The program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
7–6 in the championship game. The Broncos had a 6–3 lead in the fifth inning of that game.
WMU has won 14 Mid-American Conference championships, including 13 of 19 from 1949 to 1967.
The Broncos are currently coached by Billy Gernon in his first season as WMU manager. They most recently had a 12–42 record in 2010.
Gymnastics
Women's Gymnastics team won a MAC championship and a MAC tournament championship in 2006Ice hockey
Former professional hockey player Keith Jones played four years for the Broncos, from 1988-89 to 1991-92. He made the CCHA First All-Star Team his senior year.Soccer (men's)
The men's soccer team won the MAC tournament championship in 2003. They are currently are coached by Stu RiddleStu Riddle
Stu Riddle is a New Zealand football player.- Playing career :Less than a year after leaving high school at Wellington's Scots College, Riddle shot to prominence after a high-scoring debut season with Wellington United in the New Zealand Superclub competition.At the age of 19 Riddle was the...
. A famous former player is Rob Friend
Rob Friend
Rob Friend is a Canadian soccer player who currently plays for Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2nd Bundesliga.-Early years:...
, who transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
's Men's Soccer program. He currently plays in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
of the 1. Fußball-Bundesliga as well as the Canadian National Team
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
.
Track and field
The Broncos sprint medley relay team is currently ranked #1 in the NCAANational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
.
Volleyball
The volleyball team has been competing at Western Michigan University since 1965. In that span, the team has won 7 MAC regular season championships (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2000) and 4 MAC tournament championships (1987, 1988, 1989, 2000). WMU's all-time overall record is 705-482-9 (.593) and all-time conference record is 261-122 (.681).The Broncos are coached by Colleen Munson. In her two years at WMU, she has compiled a 41-24 (.631) record.
Awards
For the 2010–11 season, WMU was awarded the Cartwright Award, given to one MAC program each season for excellence in academics, athletics and citizenship. For the season, WMU won the Jacoby Trophy (most successful women's program) and finished second for the Reese Trophy (most successful men's program).NCAA Division I National Runners-up
- Baseball (1)
- 19551955 College World SeriesThe NCAA Men's Division I College World Series involved 8 schools playing in double-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college baseball. It began on June 10, and ended with the championship game on June 16...
- Cross Country (Men's) (1)
- 1958
MAC championships
- Baseball (14 championships)
- Regular season (14): 1989 • 1967 • 1966 • 1963 • 1962 • 1961 • 1959 • 1958 • 1957 • 1955 • 1952 • 1951 • 1950 • 1949
- Tournament: None
- Basketball (Men's) (9)
- Regular season (8): 2008–09 (West Division) • 2007–08 (West Division) • 2004–05 (West Division) • 2003–04 (West Division) • 1997–98 (West Division) • 1980–81 • 1975–76 • 1951–52
- Tournament (1): 2004
- Basketball (Women's) (3)
- Regular season (1): 1999–2000 (West Division)
- Tournament (2): 2003 • 1985
- Cross Country (Men's) (14)
- MAC Championships: 1980 • 1979 • 1977 • 1976 • 1970 • 1968 • 1966 • 1963 • 1961 • 1960 • 1959 • 1958 • 1957 • 1948
- Cross Country (Women's) (4)
- MAC Championships: 1993 • 1986 • 1985 • 1984
- Football (4)
- Regular season: 2000 (West Division) • 1999 (West Division) • 1988 • 1966
- MAC Championship: None
- Golf (Men's) (1)
- MAC Championships: 1949
- Gymnastics (4)
- Regular season (3): 2006 • 1987 • 1986
- Tournament (1): 2006
- Soccer (Men's) (1)
- Regular season: None
- Tournament (1): 2003
- Soccer (Women's) (1)
- Regular season: None
- Tournament (1): 2003
- Softball (4)
- Regular season (3): 2006 • 1984 (Western Division) • 1983 (Western Division)
- Tournament (1): 2003
- Swimming and Diving (Men's) (2)
- Regular season: 1964 • 1963
- MAC Championships: None
- Tennis (Men's) (28)
- Regular season (21): 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2004 • 2000 • 1999 • 1981 • 1965 • 1964 • 1963 • 1962 • 1961 • 1960 • 1959 • 1958 • 1957 • 1956 • 1955 • 1954 • 1952 • 1950
- Tournament (7): 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2004 • 2001
- Tennis (Women's) (15)
- Regular season (11): 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1997 • 1995 • 1990 • 1984
- Tournament (4): 2007 • 2006 • 2000 • 1999
- Track and Field (Men's) (18)
- Regular season: 1996 • 1995 • 1985 • 1980 • 1976 • 1971 • 1970 • 1969 • 1968 • 1966 • 1965 • 1964 • 1963 • 1962 • 1961 • 1960 • 1959 • 1958
- Tournament: None
- Track and Field (Women's) (2)
- Regular season: 1987 • 1985
- Tournament: None
- Volleyball (15)
- Regular season (11): 2009 (West Division) • 2008 (West Division) • 2007 (West Division) • 2000 (West Division) • 1988 • 1987 • 1986 • 1985 • 1984 • 1983 • 1982
- Tournament (4): 2000 • 1989 • 1988 • 1987
Synchronized Skating
Although the sport of synchronized skating is not yet an official NCAA sport Western Michigan is home to an internationally competitive synchronized skatingSynchronized skating
Synchronized skating or synchronised skating, a large and fast-growing discipline, consists of 8—20 athletes skating on ice at one time moving as one flowing unit at high speeds...
team, who have medalled at competitions around the world. The Bronco's synchronized skating
Synchronized skating
Synchronized skating or synchronised skating, a large and fast-growing discipline, consists of 8—20 athletes skating on ice at one time moving as one flowing unit at high speeds...
program consists of a senior team, which competes internationally as well as a collegiate level team which is competitive among the top university and collegiate teams from around the United States.
The team was cut along with Men's Cross Country and Track & Field.
United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSSA) Championships
- Snowboard Team (Combined Men's and Women's) (1)
- 2005
American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division 2 Championships
- Ice Hockey (Men's) (1)
- 1996
National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) National Championships
- Sky Broncos Precision Flight Team (5)
- 1947
- 1948
- 1983
- 1998
- 2002
United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) Collegiate Championships
- Synchronized Skating (1)
- 2004