Saint Louis Billikens
| Saint Louis Billikens | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| University | Saint Louis University |
| Conference | A-10 |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletic director | Chris May |
| Location | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Varsity teams | 18 |
| Basketball arena | Chaifetz Arena |
| Baseball stadium | Billiken Sports Center |
| Soccer stadium | Robert R. Hermann Stadium |
| Mascot | The Billiken |
| Nickname | Billikens |
| Colors | Blue and White |
| Website | slubillikens |
The Saint Louis Billikens are the collegiate athletic teams from Saint Louis University of St. Louis, Missouri. The Billikens compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference (where they are the westernmost member, and both the first member located west of the Mississippi and in the Central Time Zone). SLU is heavily rumored to be joining the Big East Conference, which would include more geographically relevant rivals like Creighton (Nebraska), Marquette (Wisconsin), and DePaul (in Chicago). The school has nationally recognized soccer programs for men and women. The school has heavily invested in its on-campus athletic facilities in the past twenty years with the creation of Hermann Stadium and Chaifetz Arena. Chris May is the current director of athletics.
An early SLU football coach, John R. Bender, is said to have been the inspiration for the nickname "Billikens," which is still used by the school's athletic teams. During the 1911 season, according to one version of the story, local sportswriters commented that Bender bore an uncanny resemblance to a charm doll called a Billiken, which was a national fad at the time. His squad became known as "Bender's Billikens" and the name stuck.
A member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, Saint Louis University sponsors teams in eight men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports:
Men's Intercollegiate Sports
Women's Intercollegiate Sports
The men's soccer team has won 10 national titles (1959–60, 1962–63, 1965, 1967, 1969–70, 1972–73), the most in NCAA Men's Soccer Championship history. SLU also holds the record for most NCAA Tournament appearances with 44. Several Billikens have gone on to play professionally, including Shane Battelle, Brad Davis, Vedad Ibišević, Brian McBride, Matt McKeon, Al Trost, Dipsy Selolwane, Mike Sorber, Joe Clarke, Bob Madison, Martin Hutton, Jack Jewsbury, Tim Ward, Brett Branan, Will John, and Tim Ream. The soccer team plays at Hermann Stadium on campus. Since 2010, Mike McGinty has been the head coach. Legion 1818 is the official supporters group for the team.
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