The familiar colors, favorite fight songs, the taste of victory: Few things unite communities like the pride and spirit for local college teams. In Greater Tampa Bay, this sentiment holds particularly true.
Varying across divisions and sports, collegiate athletics have a faithful following in GTB, where alumni from all over will always have at least one thing in common.
University of South Florida
The Bulls of the University of South Florida elicit instant recognition. The green and gold horned logo proudly represents nearly 60 years of Division I athletics in Tampa. Other traditions, such as the Herd of Thunder marching band and ceremonial USF Mace, are identifiable and warmly regarded by decades of alumni.
As members of the American Athletic Conference, the South Florida Bulls compete in 17 different sports and have amassed a whopping 154 conference championships. The Bulls have earned 13 individual NCAA National Championship titles in various sports and one team national championship with women’s swimming in 1985.
The influence of this sports program is not just limited to the local region. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games alone, six former USF student-athletes competed on the world stage, and USF’s softball coach led the U.S. Olympic Women’s Softball Team to win silver. The Bulls have sent a total of 17 athletes to the Olympics, bringing home one gold medal in its illustrious history.
Bulls fans take pride in their teams and come out strong against their biggest rivals, the University of Central Florida Knights and the University of Tampa Spartans. The War on I-4, as the USF-UCF rivalry has come to be known, wages across all sports, with the annual winners awarded a special trophy in commemoration of this friendly conflict. With a satellite campus in St. Petersburg as well, USF counts fans across GTB.
University of Tampa
The University of Tampa Spartans fly the black, red and gold from their home in downtown Tampa. Competing in the Sunshine State Conference since 1981, UT athletics have won 19 national titles in Division II of the NCAA.
Spartan baseball, a decorated franchise for more than 60 years, has featured such notable alumni as Tino Martinez, who played for 16 years in Major League Baseball, and Lou Piniella, a multiple World Series-winning MLB player and former Rays manager.
The private university’s 20 teams give fans much to root for, especially against their biggest rivals, the Florida Southern College Moccasins, and the USF Bulls in the annual Rowdies Cup.
With a long track record of comfortable victories, fans can look forward to illustrious future seasons of UT sports teams.
Pasco-Hernando State College
Pasco-Hernando State College is the proud home of the mighty Bobcats. Six collegiate sports programs flourish here, with men’s cross country newly joining the roster in fall of 2022.
Based in New Port Richey, PHSC athletics compete in the Suncoast Conference, against such notable rivals as the Hillsborough Community College Hawks and the Polk State College Eagles.
A school of champions, PHSC athletes have number of conference championships to call their own. Men’s baseball took home the Suncoast Conference title in 1995 and made a second appearance in 1997. In 2010, this Bobcats program officially moved to a Division II status. Women’s softball has seen their share of success. Their 10 postseason appearances since 1994 is an impressive and near-inimitable feat.
Among five campuses spread across two counties in GTB, Bobcat pride has a far reach. Successful academics and winning athletics leave little to be desired. With this track record of achievement, great things should be expected of the new cross country team.
St. Leo University, Eckerd College, Hillsborough Community College, St. Petersburg College
Also representing Division II sports are the St. Leo University Lions, who have racked up four national championships since 2016, and the Eckerd College Tritons, whose teal, navy and black standard competes in the Sunshine State Conference. The Hillsborough Community College Hawks and Lady Hawks also represent the NJCAA in a variety of sports.
St. Petersburg rightfully earns its place in the local college sports action. St. Petersburg College is home to the Titans, a mascot whose golden helmet can be seen on many different athletic uniforms. With baseball, softball, tennis and volleyball teams, fans have no shortage of outlets for their school spirit.
Transplants, of course, are always welcome. University of Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles and University of Miami Hurricanes all have alumni who call GTB home, presenting friendly rivalries and collegiate pride. Whether a former athlete, coach, student or just plain fan of the game, watching those favorite colors perform will always be an undeniable joy.
We Are the Champions
USF
- 14 national championships
- 26 conference titles, including six conference championship trophies, since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013
- 130 conference titles by 14 sports programs since 1965
- Nine sports programs achieved top 25 national ranking in the last four years
- 16 alumni have competed in Olympic Games
UT
- 19 NCAA Division II titles
- 112 Sunshine State Conference titles
- 20 national championships
- 560 All Americans
- 7 former baseball players advanced to MLB
- 101 MLB draft selections
PHSC
- Three national championships
- Four cross country championships
SLU
- 120 All Americans
- 28 Sunshine State Conference titles
- Four national champions
Eckerd College
- 25 Sunshine State Conference championships
- 56 All Americans
- 63 national tournament appearances
HCC
- Two NJCAA national championships
- Women’s volleyball makes it to NJCAA nationals in 2013
- Women’s tennis NJCAA Region 8 State Champions in 2021
St. Petersburg College
- Three national championships
- Four Suncoast Conference state championships
- 68 former baseball players advanced to the MLB
By Ryan Walsh
