Broncos

Broncos Highlights

General Information

Founded: 1904

Conference: West Coast Conference (WCC)

Past Conferences: California Basketball Association (CBA), North California Conference, Independent

Arena: Leavey Center

City: Santa Clara, California

Championships and Titles

2 Conference Tournament Championships
9 Conference Regular Season Championships*

Santa Clara Broncos Team History

Santa Clara has outfitted a men’s basketball team since 1904. The program started independently and then gained national recognition with Bob Feerick leading as the head coach. Under Feerick, Santa Clara advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament in 1952. And in subsequent seasons, Santa Clara made it to the Elite Eight.

Ken Sears, who led the Broncos’ team stats, was named an All-American and two-time Conference Player of the Year. Santa Clara’s success would continue until 1970 with Dick Garibaldi, who would lead the team to its final appearance in the Elite Eight (as of 2022.)

Then Santa Clara would go through an extended period of mediocrity. While the program remained a winning team, the Broncos made just one NCAA Tournament appearance in the next 22 years under Carroll Williams. So, while the Broncos were a formidable team on the NCAAB odds, postseason basketball eluded them.

Things turned for the better when Dick Davey took over the program in 1992. Not only did the program return to the NCAA Tournament, but it produced several star players like Steve Nash and Marlon Garnett. Nash, who led the Santa Clara Broncos’ team stats in assists, also went on to become a two-time NBA MVP.

In 1996, the Broncos were seeded 10th in March Madness, their highest ever. Santa Clara advanced to the Round of 32 and as of 2022, this is the last time it has made the NCAA Tournament.

Now under Herb Sendek, Santa Clara has yet to produce another March Madness-worthy season.

All-Time Santa Clara Broncos Records

Points Scored

Kevin Foster: 2,423
Jared Brownridge: 2,313
Josip Vrankic: 1,817

Rebounds

John Bryant: 1,152
Dennis Awtrey: 1,135
Kurt Rambis: 1,037

Assists

Evan Roquemore: 578
Steve Nash: 510
Brody Angley: 506

Santa Clara Broncos FAQs

Is Santa Clara Basketball Good?

While the Santa Clara men’s basketball program has not won a national championship, it has appeared in several NCAA Tournaments (11 as of 2022.) It has produced notable NBA players like two-time MVP Steve Nash.

When Was Steve Nash at Santa Clara?

Steve Nash played in Santa Clara beginning in the 1992-93 season until the 1995-96 season. He was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the 1996 NBA Draft.

When Did Santa Clara Beat Arizona in Basketball?

Santa Clara and Arizona have played each other nine times as of the 2022-23 season. The Broncos are 3-6 against Arizona and their most famous win came during the 1993 NCAA Tournament. The 15th-seeded Broncos upset the second-seeded Wildcats.