Bradley Braves football
| 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 | Renaissance Coliseum |
| Mascot | Kaboom the Gargoyle |
| Nickname | Braves |
| Fight song | Charge On! |
| Colors | Red and White |
| Website | bubraves |
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) and competes at the NCAA Division I level. The Bradley mascot is Kaboom! the Gargoyle, and the school colors are red and white.
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. 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.
A member of the Missouri Valley Conference, Bradley University sponsors teams in seven men's and eight women's NCAA sanctioned sports:
Mary Swanson
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.
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