University of San Francisco Athletics

USF competes in NCAA Division I, where athletic scholarships and serious competition define the landscape. With 233 varsity athletes across 15 sports, just 4.1% of the 5,697 students participate in athletics. The Dons play in the West Coast Conference alongside teams like Gonzaga and Saint Mary's, their cross-bay rival. Basketball dominates the athletic conversation here, thanks to legends like Bill Russell who led USF to back-to-back NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956. The program distributed $9.6 million in athletic scholarships last year. While the Dons haven't recaptured those glory days, basketball remains the most visible sport on campus. The intimate San Francisco setting means most games feel more like neighborhood events than major spectacles, reflecting the university's community-focused Jesuit values.