The Washington University Bears are the athletic teams of Washington University in St. Louis, located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Washington University is currently a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the NCAA Division III level. The Bears compete in the University Athletic Association (UAA).
The Bears have won 22 NCAA Division III Championships—one in women's outdoor track and field (2017), one in women's indoor track and field (2017), one in women's soccer (2016), one in women's cross country (2011), one in men's tennis (2008), two in men's basketball (2008, 2009), five in women's basketball (1998–2001, 2010), and ten in women's volleyball (1989, 1991–1996, 2003, 2007, 2009) – and 197 UAA titles in 15 different sports. The Bears have also had 1256 Academic All-Americans.
In 2017, Anthony J. Azama was named as the new director of athletics. The Athletic Department was previously headed by current Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman, and John Schael, who had served as Director of Athletics for 36 years since 1978. The 2000 Division III Central Region winner of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics/Continental Airlines Athletics Director of the Year award, Schael helped orchestrate the Bears' transformation into one of the top departments in Division III.
Sports sponsored
Men's baseball
Under current head coach Pat Bloom's leadership, the WashU baseball program has become one of the top teams in the NCAA Division III. In the 2020, the team was the top-ranked national team according to d3baseball.com before having their season cancelled, and they followed that up in the 2021 season with their first team appearance at the Division III World Series, finishing inside the top four. Under Bloom's coaching, the team has had one member progress to the minors, shortstop Caleb Durbin who was drafted in the 14th round in the 2021 MLB Draft.
Men's basketball
In men's basketball, WashU repeated as national champions in 2009, defeating Richard Stockton College 61–52. In 2008, WashU defeated Amherst 90–68 to win the university's first men's basketball national championship. WashU lost to Virginia Wesleyan College in the 2007 NCAA Final Four, but defeated Wooster in the third place game.
Seven players have been named as an All-American by D3hoops.com. Chris Jeffries, 2003 (2nd team), Troy Ruths, 2007 (HM), 2008 (Player of the Year, 1st team), Aaron Thompson, 2009 (1st) & 2010 (3rd), and Sean Wallis, 2009 (2nd) & 2010 (1st), Dylan Richter, 2012 (HM), and Chris Klimek, 2014 (HM).
Head Coach Mark Edwards retired after the 2017–2018 season. He ended his career with a record of 685–293 for a .700 winning percentage over his 37 years on the sideline. He also won numerous coaching awards:
Coaching Awards:
Women's basketball
Women's basketball has claimed the NCAA Women's Division III Basketball Championship a total of five times (more than any other school), including 2010, and won four consecutive national titles from 1998 to 2001, during which time they established what was then the longest winning streak in NCAA women's basketball history, at 81 games. On March 20, 2010, WashU defeated Hope College 65–59 in the 2010 national championship game. Women's basketball has made the championship game four out of five years between 2007 and 2011, losing to DePauw University in 2007 (55–52) and in 2009 losing to George Fox University by the final score of 65–53. In 2011 the Bears failed to repeat as champions when they fell in the championship game 64–55 to Amherst College Women's basketball won the DIII championship four straight seasons from 1999 to 2001. The team was coached by Nancy Fahey from 1986 to 2017, after which she became the head coach at Illinois. In addition to the 5 National Championships under Fahey, the Bears have appeared in the NCAA DIII National Tournament 28 straight seasons from 1990 to 2017. The Bears reached the tournament in 1988 and missed making it in 1989 before starting the current streak.