UC Santa Barbara

The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos embody a passionate, energetic spirit, a tradition of championship success, and the idyllic backdrop of the California coast in Santa Barbara. The university's athletic identity is supercharged by the "Gaucho Locos," one of the most famously zealous and creative student sections in the nation, who transform every game into an unforgettable spectacle of pride and passion. This energy is most famous at Harder Stadium, dubbed "Soccer Heaven," where massive, raucous crowds have propelled the men's soccer team to the pinnacle of the sport, including winning the 2006 NCAA College Cup National Championship. The Gauchos' success extends to the baseball diamond, with a memorable run to the 2016 College World Series, and to the basketball court, where the team consistently competes for Big West titles inside the famously loud arena known as "The Thunderdome." As a perennial power in the Big West Conference, UCSB has established a standard of excellence across numerous sports. The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos represent a unique paradox in college sports: a laid-back beach-town university with one of the most intensely competitive and passionately supported athletic programs on the West Coast.