236:"The Gaels are an ethno-linguistic group which spread from Ireland to Scotland and the Isle of Man. Their language is of the Gaelic (Goidelic) family, a division of Insular Celtic languages. The word in English was adopted in 1810 from Scottish Gaelic Gaidheal (compare Irish Gaedhealg and Old Irish Goídeleg) to designate a Highlander (OED). Gael or Goídeleg was first used as a collective term to describe people from Ireland; it is thought to have come from Welsh Gwyddel (Old Welsh Goídel), originally "raider", now "Irish person". Many people who do not speak Gaelic consider themselves to be 'Gaels' in a broader sense because of their ancestry and heritage."
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569:. In 2014, St. Mary's defeated powerhouses BYU and Cal during the regular season. In the 2014 D1A final, the Gaels defeated Life University 21–6 to win the Division 1-A college rugby championship, led by finals MVP Cooper Maloney, for the first national title in the program's history, and finished the season ranked as the #1 team in college rugby. In 2015, St. Mary's repeated as Division 1-A champion, again defeating Life University in the final 30–24 behind the efforts of MVP center Dylan Audesley.
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The Gaels finished the 2010–11 season ranked fifth in the nation following a trip to the national semifinals. The 2011-12 season saw St. Mary's achieve a perfect record en route to winning the
Pacific Coast Conference championship, a non-conference 20–18 victory over defending national champion Cal,
522:
in the
California conference. The team has enjoyed a rise in the past few years, revitalized with a new coaching staff and increasing alumni support. The Gaels finished the season ranked among the top ten college rugby teams in the country for three consecutive years. Head coach
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sanctioned the men's basketball program for recruiting violations stemming primarily from a former assistant coach and his attempts to recruit players from France. Penalties included a reduction in scholarships, four years probation and a five-game suspension for head coach
376:
Top 25 polls. The team received at-large bids to the NCAA tournament in 2005 and 2008 but lost in the first round. In 2008–2009, the team got off to a strong start and at one time had the longest active winning streak in the nation before an injury to star guard
576:. St. Mary's won the 2012 West Coast 7s tournament, with a semifinal 17–12 win over favored Cal, and a win in the final over Cal Poly 35–19. The Gaels finished third at the 2012 California 7s. The Gaels participated at the 2012
404:, after defeating Gonzaga in the championship game of the WCC Tournament, the Gaels' second WCC tournament title since 1987. They then won their first NCAA Tournament game since 1959, defeating the
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The Gaels were successful in the 2012–13 season, again posting an undefeated conference record to win the
California Conference. In the 2013 spring playoffs, St. Mary's defeated
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The Saint Mary's Gaels football team competed in the NCAA as a
Division II Independent football program. The school's first football team was fielded in 1892, finishing in 2004.
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in the first round. The Gaels finished second in the WCC in the 2012–13 season and received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, defeating
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The Gaels shared the regular season WCC title with
Gonzaga in 2011, but lost to Gonzaga in the WCC tournament and were not invited to the
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423:. In 2012, Saint Mary's claimed both the regular season WCC title and the tournament title and received a seven seed in the
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The nickname was given to the school's football team (now discontinued) in 1926 by Pat Frayne, a writer for the now defunct
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246:. The school's previous nickname was the Saints, although the baseball team was known as the Phoenix until the 1940s.
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The Gaels had a strong season in 2007-08, reaching the semifinals of the USA Rugby
National Championship losing to
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41–31, and finished the 2007–08 season ranked #2 in the nation for
Division 1. The Gaels were led that season by
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in the quarterfinals and Cal Poly in the semifinals, before losing 16–14 in the national championship match to
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24–15 in the national quarterfinals to advance to the national semifinals before losing to
Arkansas State.
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The Gaels have also been successful in rugby sevens. The Gaels reached the quarterfinals of the 2011
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was named coach of the year by
American Rugby News following the 2006–07 season.
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A Gaels basketball alumnus who became more notable outside the sport is two-time
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in the WCC tournament finals, the team was not selected for the NCAA tournament.
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30:"Saint Mary's Stadium" redirects here. For stadium in Southampton, England, see
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teams and to the school's club sports teams. Most varsity teams compete in the
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The men's basketball team has become recognized nationally as one of the top
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The Saint Mary's men's basketball team playing in McKeon
Pavilion in 2009
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Scene from a St. Mary's (red and blue jersey) v Cal match in March 2010
770:"Head Men's Rugby Coach Tim O'Brien Named "College Coach of the Year""
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The men's rugby team, the oldest athletic club at the school, plays
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Past alumni from Saint Mary's who current play in the NBA include
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in a "First Four" matchup before losing in the second round to
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Athletic teams representing Saint Mary's College of California
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647:
699:
696:"McConnell, Allen hot from outside as Gaels upset Bulldogs"
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793:"American Rugby News Ranks Gaels as #2 in Final Standings"
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In March 2010, the Gaels received an automatic bid to the
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216:. The nickname applies to the college's intercollegiate
648:"West Coast Conference | Official Athletics Site"
855:"No. 4 Saint Mary's topples top-ranked Cal in rugby"
342:† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor
814:
812:
821:, Lamorinda Weekly, Michael Sakoda, June 18, 2014.
578:USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships
574:USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships
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506:SMC also sponsors more than a dozen club sports.
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599:Saint Mary’s College of California Style Guide
368:since 2005 and making appearances in both the
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538:, who went on enjoy a rugby career with the
364:programs in the country, appearing in eight
831:"Saint Mary's is Victorious Over Cal 20-18"
27:Collegiate sports club in the United States
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749:"Club Sports | Saint Mary's College"
869:, Rugby Today, Evan Lappen, May 9, 2015.
805:United States national rugby sevens team
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867:"Time Runs Out on Life as Gaels Repeat"
843:"St. Mary's Wins California Conference"
833:, Saint Mary's College, April 16, 2012.
408:. On March 20, 2010, the Gaels, led by
208:are the athletic teams that compete at
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727:"NCAA sanctions St. Mary's hoops team"
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483:Saint Mary's Gaels women's basketball
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891:"San Diego State Wins California 7s"
857:, Contra Costa Times, April 5, 2014.
795:, Saint Mary's College, May 6, 2008.
772:, American Rugby News, May 14, 2007.
627:. Stmarys-ca.edu. September 26, 2012
170:Navy, red, and silver
356:Saint Mary's Gaels men's basketball
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210:Saint Mary's College of California
63:Saint Mary's College of California
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751:. Stmarys-ca.edu. January 8, 2014
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383:West Coast Conference tournament
127:University Credit Union Pavilion
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18:Saint Mary's Gaels softball
893:, Rugby Mag, November 11, 2012.
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879:"St. Mary's Wins West Coast 7s"
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725:Kroner, Steve (March 2, 2013).
442:During the 2012–13 season, the
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881:, Rugby Mag, October 7, 2012.
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1080:Men's water polo associates
819:"A Tradition of Excellence"
494:Saint Mary's Gaels football
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243:San Francisco Call-Bulletin
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1050:Washington State Cougars
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1097:San Jose State Spartans
646:West Coast Conference.
233:From the Gaels website:
1038:Multi-sport associates
1030:(both joining in 2025)
1023:Grand Canyon Antelopes
972:Loyola Marymount Lions
625:"Saint Mary's College"
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385:, but after a loss to
952:West Coast Conference
706:on September 16, 2016
596:"Gaels Color Guide".
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427:but lost to #10 seed
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222:West Coast Conference
73:West Coast Conference
1045:Oregon State Beavers
402:2010 NCAA tournament
118:Saint Mary's Stadium
1016:Future full members
1007:Santa Clara Broncos
670:"Mascots explained"
460:Matthew Dellavedova
1118:Saint Mary's Gaels
1066:Creighton Bluejays
1002:San Francisco Dons
992:Saint Mary's Gaels
676:on August 17, 2009
605:. January 10, 2018
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540:U.S. national team
477:Women's basketball
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214:Moraga, California
206:Saint Mary's Gaels
137:Louis Guisto Field
101:Moraga, California
45:Saint Mary's Gaels
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1087:Air Force Falcons
997:San Diego Toreros
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280:Beach volleyball
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89:Athletic director
32:St Mary's Stadium
16:(Redirected from
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967:Gonzaga Bulldogs
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162:"On To Victory"
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753:. Retrieved
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525:Tim O'Brien
510:Men's rugby
502:Club sports
456:Patty Mills
410:Omar Samhan
379:Patty Mills
336:Volleyball
92:Mike Matoso
584:References
276:Basketball
269:Basketball
159:Fight song
84:Division I
69:Conference
59:University
609:March 18,
362:mid-major
314:Softball
194:.smcgaels
1112:Category
755:July 19,
733:July 19,
729:. SFGate
710:July 19,
654:July 19,
631:July 19,
563:Colorado
488:Football
265:Baseball
151:Nickname
97:Location
437:Memphis
387:Gonzaga
322:Tennis
306:Soccer
296:Rowing
187:Website
469:actor
429:Purdue
311:Tennis
302:Soccer
181:
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175:
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167:Colors
146:Gideon
143:Mascot
603:(PDF)
154:Gaels
757:2015
735:2015
712:2015
700:ESPN
682:2010
656:2015
633:2015
611:2019
556:Utah
458:and
444:NCAA
374:ESPN
372:and
293:Golf
204:The
196:.com
80:NCAA
542:.
532:Cal
518:in
212:in
192:www
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
