UC Riverside Highlanders

The UC Riverside Highlanders represent the University of California, Riverside (UCR) in Riverside, California in 15 men's and women's intercollegiate athletics.^[2] The Highlanders compete in NCAA Division I; they are members of the Big West Conference.^[3]

UC Riverside Highlanders
University	University of California, Riverside
Conference	Big West (primary) Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (indoor track & field)
NCAA	Division I
Athletic director	Wes Mallette
Location	Riverside, California
Varsity teams	15
Basketball arena	Student Recreation Center Arena
Baseball stadium	Riverside Sports Complex
Soccer stadium	UC Riverside Soccer Stadium
Other venues	Ag/Ops Course Amy S. Harrison Field SRC Tennis Courts UC Riverside Track Facility
Mascot	Scotty Highlander
Nickname	Highlanders
Colors	Blue and gold[1]
Website	gohighlanders.com

In 2020, the future of UCR's sports program was placed into doubt, as the university's leadership were considering cutting the entire athletics department in response to financial strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in May 2021, the university announced that they had decided against eliminating athletics and would instead continue sponsoring all sports at the Division I level.^[4]

Sports sponsored

Men's sports	Women's sports
Baseball	Basketball
Basketball	Cross country
Cross country	Golf
Golf	Soccer
Soccer	Softball
Tennis	Tennis
Track and field1	Track and field1
	Volleyball
1 – includes both indoor and outdoor

Baseball

Main article: UC Riverside Highlanders baseball

The UC Riverside Highlanders baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate baseball team of the University of California, Riverside.^[5] The team is a member of the Big West Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. UC Riverside's first baseball team was fielded in 1958. The team plays its home games at the 2,500-seat Riverside Sports Complex.

Basketball

Men's basketball

Main article: UC Riverside Highlanders men's basketball

A game between the Highlanders and Air Force Falcons men's basketball teams in 2018

The UC Riverside Highlanders men's basketball team represents the University of California, Riverside. The school's team currently competes in the Big West Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I.^[6] UC Riverside's first men's basketball team was fielded during the 1958–59 season. The team plays its home games at the 3,168-seat Student Recreation Center Arena.

Women's basketball

Main article: UC Riverside Highlanders women's basketball

The UC Riverside Highlanders women's basketball team represents the University of California, Riverside. The school's team currently competes in the Big West Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I.^[7] UC Riverside's first women's basketball team was fielded during the 1977–78 season. The team plays its home games at the 3,168-seat Student Recreation Center Arena.

Soccer

Men's soccer

The UC Riverside men's soccer team plays against Air Force in 2024

The UC Riverside women's soccer team plays against the USC Trojans in 2014

The UC Riverside Highlanders men's soccer team have an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 0–2 through two appearances.^[8][9]

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
2018	First Round	Pacific	L 0–1
2022	First Round	Portland	L 1–2

Women's soccer

The UC Riverside Highlanders women's soccer team have an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 0–1 through one appearance.^[10]

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
2005	First Round	Colorado	L 0–1

Former varsity sports

Football

The UC Riverside Highlanders football team played from 1955 until the program was disbanded in 1975. The team played at Highlander Stadium.

Championships

Appearances

The UC Riverside Highlanders competed in the NCAA Tournament across 6 active sports (2 men's and 4 women's) 10 times at the Division I level.^[11]

• Baseball (2): 2003, 2007
• Women's basketball (3): 2006, 2007, 2010
• Men's soccer (1): 2018
• Women's soccer (1): 2005
• Women's indoor track and field (2): 2009, 2016
• Women's outdoor track and field (1): 2009

Team

UC Riverside has never won a national championship at the NCAA Division I level.^[12]

UC Riverside won 4 national championships at the NCAA Division II level.^[12]

• Baseball (2): 1977, 1982
• Women's volleyball (2): 1982, 1986

Below is one national championship that was not bestowed by the NCAA:

• Women's volleyball – Division II (1): 1977 (AIAW)

Individual

UC Riverside had 1 Highlander win an NCAA individual championship at the Division I level.^[12]

NCAA individual championships
Order	School year	Athlete(s)	Sport	Source
1	2015–16	Vesta Bell	Women's indoor track and field	[13]

At the NCAA Division II level, UC Riverside garnered 11 individual championships.^[12]

Traditions

Mascot

"Scotty Highlander" is the mascot for UC Riverside. The original mascot was an aggressive little bear wearing a kilt for the school's logo. In 1998, a referendum to move to NCAA Division I was passed and the students approached the administration requesting a new mascot and the old mascot was replaced. In 2011, the mascot was updated again with students voting online and a new "Scotty Highlander" mascot, featuring a roaring bear wearing a plaid Tam o' Shanter was chosen.^[2]

School colors

All schools in the University of California System have a combination of blue and gold as their school colors.^[2] UC Riverside follows this tradition.

See also

• List of NCAA Division I institutions