Vanderbilt Commodores

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The Vanderbilt Commodores are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt fields 16 varsity teams (6 men's teams and 10 women's teams), 14 of which compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Vanderbilt's women's lacrosse team plays in the American Athletic Conference.^[2] The bowling team plays in Conference USA (C-USA), which absorbed Vanderbilt's former bowling home of the Southland Bowling League^[3] after the 2022–23 season.^[4] The University of Tennessee Volunteers are Vanderbilt's primary athletic rival, and the only other SEC team in Tennessee.^[5]

Varsity teams

Baseball

Baseball has been a part of Vanderbilt athletics since its official debut in 1886. The sport started out as a two-game schedule which featured a draw between Vanderbilt and then conference rival Sewanee. As the number of games increased the game became more and more popular especially in 1921 when Vanderbilt (20–8) first reached twenty wins in a season and won the Southern Conference baseball championship. Manager

Vanderbilt basketball began on February 7, 1893 with a 9–6 victory over the Nashville YMCA, making it the first basketball game played by a collegiate team.

The first Vanderbilt women's basketball game was in March 1897. During that time their schedule consisted of five games which expanded as the game became more popular nationally. The Lady Commodores began their modern and successful period when Joe Pepper (1977–80) was named part-time coach. Phil Lee (1980–91) became the school's first full-time coach in 1980 and helped lead the Lady Dores to their first 20 win season in 1981 and an appearance in the

The Commodores have an overall record of 623–307 record entering the 2007–08 season. Their Memorial Gymnasium all-time mark is 344–81. The Commodores have appeared in 20 NCAA tournaments (third most in the SEC) and have 12 Sweet Sixteen appearances.[10]

Football

The first game in Vanderbilt Commodores football history was in 1890 when they met the University of Nashville. Four years later, Vanderbilt became one of the seven founding members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. During those years, Vanderbilt was often a major player in southern football dominating many teams. In 1932, Vandy became a founding member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The original teams of the SEC consisted of Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Mississippi State, LSU, Auburn, Sewanee, Tulane, and Georgia Tech. Vanderbilt's primary rivalries consist of the Tennessee Volunteers and the Ole Miss Rebels.

In Vanderbilt Commodores football history, there have been several coaches who have been honored with College Football Hall of Fame honors. Some of those coaches often returned to the school to continue the success they found there. This list includes

Vanderbilt is currently one of only two Power 5 schools that does not sponsor women's volleyball; the other is Oklahoma State. Vanderbilt once had a women's volleyball team, but dropped the sport after the 1979–80 school year. On April 19, 2022, Vanderbilt announced that it would reinstate women's volleyball in the 2025-26 school year (2025 season).^[12] In addition, Vanderbilt is the only school in the SEC that does not sponsor softball.

Notable non-varsity sports

Climbing

The rapidly expanding and successful climbing team at Vanderbilt was founded in 2017 and is competing in the Appalachian region of the USA Climbing Collegiate Series. The American collegiate climbing scene has grown by a staggering amount since the advent of modern climbing gyms and the addition of climbing in the Summer Olympic Games.^[13] At the 2019 USA Climbing Collegiate National Championships, where over 100 teams attended, Vanderbilt placed 3rd in speed climbing and 13th overall. There are currently over 50 active team members, who compete in all three disciplines - bouldering, speed climbing and lead climbing. The club roster has over 200 undergraduate as well as graduate & professional students.^[14]

Club baseball

Founded in 2008, the Vanderbilt University Club Baseball team competes in the Mid-Atlantic conference of

Founded in 1970, Vanderbilt University Rugby Football Club plays in the Division 1 Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference against its traditional SEC rivals such as Tennessee and Ole Miss. Vanderbilt had previously played in Division 2, where it was one of the stronger teams.^[19] Every fall Vanderbilt hosts the Oak Leaf Cup tournament.^[20] Vanderbilt is led by head coach James Snell.

Rowing

Founded in 1985, the Vanderbilt University Rowing team is one of the largest club teams on campus and competes as a member of the Southeastern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) and the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA). Coached by former University of Michigan rower Jon Miller, Vanderbilt has won a national championship in the Varsity Women's 4+ race at the ACRA National Championships in 2018 and the Men's Collegiate 4+ race at the Head of the Charles Regatta in 2021.^[21]

Championships

NCAA team championships

Vanderbilt has won six NCAA team national championships.^[22]

Men's (2)

• Baseball
  (2): 2014, 2019

Women's (4)

• Bowling (3): 2007, 2018, 2023
• Tennis
  (1): 2015
• see also
  • SEC NCAA team championships
  • List of NCAA schools with the most NCAA Division I championships

History of Vanderbilt athletics

Vanderbilt is a charter member of the Southeastern Conference and is the conference's only private school. With approximately 6,400 undergraduates, the school is also by far the smallest in the conference; the University of Mississippi, the next smallest, has nearly twice as many undergraduate students. Vanderbilt fields fewer teams than any of its rivals and sometimes lacks the national prominence enjoyed by schools such as the University of Florida or the University of Kentucky. Men's and women's tennis and men's and women's basketball are traditionally Vanderbilt's strongest sports, with the more recently founded women's lacrosse and bowling programs as well as the long-standing men's baseball program experiencing national success, winning the 2014 College World Series. After enjoying success in the first half of the 20th century, the football program struggled through the beginning of the 21st century. In the 2008–09 season, however, the Vanderbilt football team posted a winning season and won its first bowl game in 53 years. Under previous coach James Franklin, the football program enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance; since Franklin's arrival at Vanderbilt in 2011, the Commodores have appeared in consecutive bowl games for the first time in school history (2011 and 2012), and the 2012 team posted Vanderbilt's first 9-win season in over 80 years.

Lack of athletic department

In September 2003, Vanderbilt disbanded its athletic department. Intercollegiate athletics are now administered as a part of the university's Division of Student Life, which oversees all student organizations and activities. Vanderbilt is currently the only Division I school without a separate athletic department. In making this decision, Chancellor

Mascot history

Vanderbilt's intercollegiate athletics teams are nicknamed the Commodores, in honor of the nickname given to Cornelius Vanderbilt, who made his fortune in shipping. Fans often refer to Vanderbilt athletic teams as "Dores" or use the cheer "Go Dores!"

The term commodore was used by the Navy during the mid- to late nineteenth century. A commodore was the commanding officer of a task force of ships, and therefore higher in rank than a captain but lower in rank than an admiral. It was the highest rank in the United States Navy until the Civil War. The closest warfighting rank in today's Navy is rear admiral lower half. (In the British Royal Navy, the designation of commodore was applied to the commanding officer.)

Since the term was used most during the late nineteenth century—and because it was then that Cornelius received his nickname—Vanderbilt's mascot is always portrayed as a naval officer from the 1880s, complete with

School colors

The school colors are black and gold. Opinions vary as to the reason for selecting black and gold as the colors for Vanderbilt's teams. Some say the original colors were orange and black, given to the university by Judge W.L. Granbery of Princeton. Others say that Commodore Vanderbilt's legacy was called upon to develop school colors for the university that bears his name: black for the magnate's control of coal and gold for his money.

When questioned about the subject in the 1930s, the few remaining members of the school's first football squad from 1890 did not recall why they suddenly began appearing in black and gold. Whatever the source of the colors, by 1892, the Commodores were known by the colors that Vanderbilt fans still wear today.

Traditions and rivalries

Rivalries

Vanderbilt's primary rival in almost every sport is the

Formed by extending the thumb, index, and middle fingers of the hand (similar to the Serbian three-finger salute), the resulting shape forms a "V" and "U". It was introduced by Vanderbilt's cheerleaders in 2003.

Football gameday traditions

Vanderbilt has a number of football traditions: the "Commodore Creed" in the football locker room; the "Corridor of Captains" that honors Vanderbilt's athletics history; the "Star Walk" with fans, cheerleaders, and the Spirit of Gold Marching Band; the "Star V," an on-field formation by the marching band; the "Admiral", a foghorn from a U.S. Navy battleship that blows after every Vanderbilt score; "Mr. C," the mascot; the "Anchor Dash" by first-year students rushing the football field before kickoff of each season's home opener; the "Victory Flag" that is raised over Dudley Field after home wins; and the singing of the "Alma Mater" at the conclusion of a game (in most sports), win or lose.

Fight song

The Vanderbilt fight song, "Dynamite," was written by student Francis Craig in 1924. The song references the vigor with which Vanderbilt plays and the enthusiasm of the university's fans, who cheer regardless of the outcome of the game.

Program success

Vanderbilt's athletics programs have seen more success in recent years, and 2006–2007 was one of the best in the school's athletic history. At one point, seven of Vanderbilt's 16 teams were ranked in the Top 25 of their respective sports.^[23] Women's bowling won the NCAA championship, bringing the university its first team championship since the advent of the NCAA.^[24] In 2014, the baseball team won its first College World Series over the Virginia Cavaliers. In 2015, the Vanderbilt women's tennis team won its first national championship by defeating the defending champions UCLA Bruins. In 2018, the women's bowling team won its second national championship by defeating the defending champions McKendree University. And in 2019, the baseball team won its second College World Series title.

Facilities

Campus athletic facilities include:

• Vanderbilt Stadium, seating capacity: 40,350^[25]
• Memorial Gymnasium, 14,326^[25]
• Hawkins Field, 3,700^[25]
• Vanderbilt Soccer/Lacrosse Complex, 2,400
• Brownlee O. Currey, Jr. Tennis Center
• Vanderbilt Legends Club of Tennessee (off-campus golf course)

References

Relevant literature

• Goheen, Barry. 2020 Buzzer Beaters and Memorial Magic: A Memoir of the Vanderbilt Commodores 1987-1989. Mercer University Press.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Athletics of Vanderbilt University.

• Official website