Bradley Braves

Bradley Braves
University Bradley University
Conference Missouri Valley Conference
NCAA Division I
Athletic director Chris Reynolds
Location Peoria, Illinois
Varsity teams 13 (6 men's, 7 women's)
Basketball arena Carver Arena
Mascot Kaboom the Gargoyle
Nickname Braves
Fight song Charge On!
Colors Red and White[1]
         
Website bubraves.com

The Bradley Braves are the intercollegiate athletics teams of Bradley University, located in Peoria, Illinois, United States. The Braves' athletic program is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) [2] and competes at the NCAA Division I level.[3] The Bradley mascot is Kaboom! the Gargoyle, and the school colors are red and white.

Teams

Bradley Polytechnic Institute opened its doors in the fall of 1897, and the school fielded a football team in that first fall and a baseball team in the spring of 1998.[4] Men's basketball debuted in 1902–03 with no coach and no home court, but was destined to become Bradley's most successful team; over the years, the Braves have played in 34 post-season tournaments, winning the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) four times and being runnersup in the NCAA and the NIT twice each and in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) and CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) once each.[5]

A member of the Missouri Valley Conference, Bradley University sponsors teams in seven men's and eight women's NCAA sanctioned sports:[6]

Men's Intercollegiate Sports Team Article Head Coach Women's Intercollegiate Sports Team Article Head Coach
Baseball — Elvis Dominguez Basketball — Michael Brooks
Basketball Braves men's basketball Brian Wardle Cross Country — Darren Gauson
Cross Country — Darren Gauson Golf —

Mary Swanson

Golf — Jeff Roche Softball — Amy Hayes
Soccer Braves men's soccer Jim DeRose Tennis — Matt Tyler
Track & Field (Indoor & Outdoor) — Darren Gauson Track & Field (Indoor & Outdoor) — Darren Gauson
Volleyball — Jenny Maurer

Basketball

Bradley is best known for its college basketball success. Bradley has been to eight NCAA tournaments, including two national championship games, three Elite 8's, and four Sweet 16's. Bradley has an overall NCAA Tournament record of 11-8.

Bradley has been to the NIT 21 times and won it four times. Their postseason NIT record is 25-18. Only one school (St. Johns- 27 times) has been to more NITs, or won it more (St. John's 6 times).

Years in NIT-1938, 1939 (third), 1947, 1949 (fourth), 1950 (second), 1957 (won), 1958, 1959 (second), 1960 (won), 1962, 1964 (won), 1965, 1968, 1982 (won), 1985, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2007.

The Braves basketball squad, was incidentally cofeatured in a 1955 Sports Illustrated article focusing on their cheerleaders. The two-page spread, heavy with photographs taken at a tournament in New Orleans, LA, keyed on the enthusiasm and school spirit of the coeds. Perhaps as irony, Bradley's basketball team, in action vs. Holy Cross, was shot as background for their avid supporters. Holy Cross defeated the Braves in this game, 89-81.[7]

Football

The Bradley Braves football program was initiated in 1897, concomitant with the school's founding; 3 games were played by the fledgling squad, resulting a in 0-3-0 record. The Braves continued to field a gridiron team every year, with exception of the interruption of WW2 (1943–45), through the 1970 season. Upon the retirement of Coach Billy Stone, coupled with other considerations, the Bradley Braves football program was at that point discontinued.

Facilities

Source= [8]

Braves in the pros

Basketball

Baseball

Football

Soccer

References

  1. ↑ Bradley Athletics Official Brand Identity - Usage and Style Guide (PDF). 2012-08-17. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
  2. ↑ "This is the Missouri Valley Conference". Missouri Valley Conference. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Bradley University". NCAA. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Bradley Baseball Records Book" (PDF). Bradley University. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Bradley Basketball Records Book" (PDF). Bradley University. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  6. ↑ "BRADLEYBRAVES.COM". Bradley University. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  7. ↑ Peskin, Hy (byline as photographer only) (January 17, 1955). "Give Me A B For Bradley". Sports Illustrated 2 (3): 18–19.
  8. ↑ "Bradley Athletics Facilities". Bradley University. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
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