Arizona State University (ASU) is (as of 2004) the third-largest university in the United States with a student body of 57,543. Founded in 1885 as a territorial normal school, the institution has gone through several name and purpose changes before becoming a state university in 1958. ASU's main campus is in Tempe, Arizona, at the site of the original school. Satellite campuses were created in 1984 in Phoenix (ASU West) and in 1996 in Mesa (ASU East ).
Each year nearly 10,000 students graduate from the university's three campuses. ASU houses the world-renowned Institute of Human Origins . It is also home to the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication. ASU attracts many National Merit scholars; there were 173 in the 2003 freshman class. Many are part of the Barrett Honors College, which produces nationally recognized students, including 54 Fulbright scholars, 28 Goldwater scholars, and 13 Truman scholars. ASU is becoming a major center for research. Under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education ASU is classified as a Doctoral/Research University–Extensive; under the previous Carnegie classification, it was considered a Research I University.
Current state of the university
ASU is currently aspiring to climb up in the rankings in U.S. News and World Report under the leadership of its 16th president, Michael Crow, who took office in July 2002. Toward this goal several initiatives are being pursued, the most notable of which is the Arizona Biodesign Institute . Additionally, two gifts of $50 million each were given to the College of Engineering and the College of Business; both were named after their benefactors. The COE is now the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, and the COB is now the W. P. Carey School of Business. Administrators hope that the extra money will help both schools move up in national rankings.
In a sign of increasing national prominence, ASU was chosen to host the third Presidential debate on October 13, 2004 at Gammage Auditorium. In an additional boost to the school's prestige, it was announced just days before the debate that Dr. Edward Prescott of the W. P. Carey School of Business would be awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics. Not only did ASU have its first Nobel Laureate in 2004; it also received the honor of having the director of its Biodesign Institute, Dr. George Poste, named Scientist of the Year by R&D Magazine.
Athletics
ASU is a member of the Pac-10 athletic conference. Athletes, students, and alumni of ASU are known as "Sun Devils," a nickname adopted in 1946; earlier nicknames were the Normals or the Owls and, later, the Bulldogs. The Sun Devil mascot, Sparky, was designed by Disney illustrator Bert Anthony . ASU's chief rival is the University of Arizona, who are known as the "Wildcats."
ASU's football venue is named Sun Devil Stadium. Notable athletic alumni include baseball players Barry Bonds, Paul Lo Duca, Fernando Viņa and Reggie Jackson, football players Jake Plummer, Todd Heap, Danny White, Terrell Suggs , Darren Woodson, and Pat Tillman, basketball player Byron Scott, golfer Phil Mickelson, and announcer Al Michaels.
ASU has what is unquestionably one of the most successful baseball programs in the country. They have won 5 national championships and have the third most alumni of any school to ever play in Major League Baseball.
The university has won national championships in men's archery 15 times, women's archery 21 times, mixed archery 20 times, men's badminton 13 times, women's badminton 17 times, mixed badminton 10 times, baseball 5 times, women's tennis 3 times, men's gymnastics once, men's track and field once, wrestling once, men's golf twice, women's golf 13 times, women's softball twice, and women's swimming and diving 7 times for a total of 129 national championships. Additionally, the men's basketball team has attended the NCAA tournament 12 times and the football team won the Rose Bowl in 1986 as well as the Fiesta Bowl in 1982, 1975, 1973, 1972, and 1971.
Football
The Sun Devils played in the Border Conference between 1931 and 1961, before joining the Western Athletic Conference the following year. Led by legendary head coach Frank Kush , the Sun Devils posted a remarkable 62-9 record between 1970 and 1975, culminating in a 17-14 upset of the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1975 Fiesta Bowl.
In 1978, both ASU and the University of Arizona joined the Pacific Ten Conference, and in that year ASU celebrated with an emotional 20-7 victory over number-one-ranked University of Southern California. The Sun Devils then began a slow decline, interrupted only briefly by victories in the 1983 Fiesta Bowl and 1987 Rose Bowl. After a 1987 Freedom Bowl victory over Air Force, the Sun Devils went a combined 43-44-1 between 1988 and 1995.
In 1996, the Sun Devils went a surprising 11-1, highlighted by a 19-0 shutout of the number-one-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers in Tempe. ASU quarterback Jake Plummer led the Sun Devils, helping Arizona State into the Rose Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes. In a game with National Championship potential, the Sun Devils held a slim 17-14 lead with just under 1:47 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Sun Devils fell to Ohio State 20-17 in one of the most exciting Rose Bowl games ever.
Between 1997 and 2000, the Sun Devils underachieved greatly, leading to the dismissal of popular head football coach Bruce Snyder . The hiring of head coach Dirk Koetter from Boise State University gave the Sun Devils a charismatic leader with a penchant for molding strong quarterbacks.
Arizona State began the Dirk Koetter era with a thud, falling to 4-7 in 2001. However, ASU improved to 8-6 in 2002, highlighted by the play of defensive end Terrell Suggs and wide receiver Shaun McDonald . Quarterback Andrew Walter emerged to pass for a staggering 3,877 yards and 28 touchdowns. The Sun Devils eventually lost a nailbiter to Kansas State University in the 2003 Holiday Bowl.
In 2004, the Sun Devils surprised nearly everyone, jumping out to a 5-0 record (including an impressive 44-7 victory over Iowa in Tempe). Andrew Walter led the suddenly resurgent Sun Devils, passing for 1,249 yards and 15 TDs through five games. This set up an attractive matchup between ASU and Southern California in Los Angeles on October 16, 2004, which they lost. After a dramatic come from behind victory over Stanford University and a win over Washington State in a game in which ASU retired Pat Tillman's number, they ended up losing to rival University of Arizona. ASU won the Vitalis Sun Bowl over Purdue, 27-23, on New Year's Eve.
Key to the Sun Devils' remarkable turnaround was a speedy defensive unit led by tackles Jimmy Verdon and Kyle Caldwell . The Sun Devils also improved dramatically in turnover margin and penalties. For the first time in several years, fans in Tempe and across Arizona flocked to see the team play at Sun Devil Stadium.
Softball
One of the nation's founding programs, the Sun Devils are in their 39th season on the diamond in Tempe. ASU holds a 1,039-561-1 (.649) all-time record since the 1967 team posted a 5-1 record. ASU has recorded 23 season of at least 30 wins and six with 40 or more victories, including an all-time high of 46 in 2002. The Sun Devils have earned 16 postseason bids, fourth all-time in the Pac-10 Conference, and has made four trips to the College World Series. Prior to the current NCAA format, ASU went to seven WCWS, claiming back-to-back national tiles in 1972 and 1973.
Arizona State's storied tradition of softball excellence continues to flourish under the tutelage of 16th-year head coach Linda Wells, one of the most prominent and successful coaches in NCAA history. Wells, who is currently the 7th-most successful active coach in NCAA Division I history with 907 victories (9th all-time), has led the Sun Devils to 11 (seven consecutive 1997-03) NCAA Regional appearances in 15 seasons, including two trips in the past six years to the College World Series (1999/2002). While at ASU, Wells has compiled a record of 554-394 and has had seven players earn a total of 12 All-American awards. Her 554 wins are the most victories all-time in ASU's storied 39-year history, surpassing coaching legend Mary Littlewood's 536. Wells earned the victory with a 3-2 win over Sacramento State (2/13/05). Wells' vast coaching experience and tireless work ethic has not gone unnoticed by the country or by the world as she was named the head coach of the Greek Olympic National Team that competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Wells has coached 35 career .300 hitters at ASU in her 15 seasons, averaging a combined .335 -- not an easy accomplishment in the pitching-rich Pac-10 where games are traditionally low scoring, and with the addition of three more All-Pac-10 selections in 2004, Wells has now coached 75 all-conference players during her tenure at Arizona State, averaging five All-Pac-10 selections every season.
Famous Alumni
Barry Bonds: professional baseball player
Reggie Jackson: former professional baseball player
Paul LoDuca : professional baseball player
Jake Plummer: professional football player
Danny White: former professional football player and Arena Football League coach
Pat Tillman: former professional football player and US Army Corporal
Terrell Suggs : professional football player
Al Michaels: T.V. broadcaster
Phil Mickelson: professional golfer
Ed Pastor: U.S. Congressman
Matt Salmon: former gubernatorial candidate for Arizona
David Spade: comedian
External links
Last updated: 08-20-2005 20:18:16
