Toreros

San Diego Toreros
General Information
Founded: 1955
Conference: West Coast Conference (WCC)
Arena: Jenny Craig Pavilion
City: San Diego, California
Championships and Titles
- 2 Conference Tournament Championships
- 2 Conference Regular Season Championships
San Diego Toreros Team History
The San Diego Toreros have competed only in the West Coast Conference beginning in 1979. Despite a rough first season, the Toreros improved quickly and won its first conference regular season title in 1983-84.
Mike Whitmarsh, who led the Toreros’ team stats, finished as a runner-up for Conference Player of the Year. Jim Brovelli was named Conference Coach of the Year.
While the Toreros did not win in the NCAA Tournament in that season, it marked the beginning of the program’s rise to relevance. A few seasons later, the Toreros won another WCAC title and returned to March Madness. This time, the team went 13-1 in the conference, a mark still unmatched as of 2022.
The 80s Sans an NCAA Tournament Appearance
San Diego became a lucrative bet on the NCAAB odds during their successful seasons, which were few and far in between. After their 1986-87 season, the program remained competitive albeit without making an NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Toreros eventually returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2003 by winning its first-ever WCC Tournament. And a few years later in 2008, San Diego would hit a new high. Led by San Diego Toreros team stats leaders Brandon Johnson and Gyno Pomare, the team not only won another WCC Tournament title but also won its first game in March Madness.
This high point of the school’s basketball history was followed by a low point following the 2017-18 season. Then-coach Lamont Smith was accused of accepting a bribe as part of the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal.
Now, the Toreros are in the midst of a rebuild and have not fielded a winning team as of the start of the 2022-23 season.
All-Time San Diego Toreros Records
Points Scored
- Johnny Dee: 2,046
- Brandon Johnson: 1,790
- Gyno Pomare: 1,725
Rebounds
- Gyno Pomare: 864
- Scott Thompson: 740
- Ryan Williams: 653
Assists
- Christopher Anderson: 757
- Brandon Johnson: 525
- David Fizdale: 465