Helena Frye
Saint Mary's College, home of the Gaels, is located in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. The Gaels are the nickname for the college's sports teams, originally given to the football team in 1926 by Pat Frayne, a writer for the San Francisco Call-Bulletin. The college's teams have achieved success in a variety of sports, including basketball, rugby, soccer, and golf.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Saint Mary's College |
| Location | California, US |
| Area | Bay Area |
| Type of College | Liberal Arts College |
| Sports Teams | Football, Basketball, Baseball, Rugby, Soccer, Golf |
| Sport Divisions | Division I, Division II, Division 1-A |
| Sport Achievements | Ranked No. 1 Men's Rugby Team in the Country, 2012 WCC Golf Title, 2011 West Coast Conference Title in Men's Soccer, 2014 Division 1-A College Rugby Championship, 2015 Division 1-A Champion, 2012 West Coast 7s Tournament Champion, 2012 West Coast Conference Baseball Championship, 2013 West Coast Conference Title (Basketball) |
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What You'll Learn
Saint Mary's College of California
The college's athletic teams are known as the Gaels, a name that, according to legend, was given to them by sportswriter Grantland Rice in the 1920s due to the large number of Irish players on the squad. The Gael is traditionally an Irish warrior, symbolising passion and hard work—qualities that are said to embody the spirit of the Saint Mary's community.
The men's rugby team has also excelled, consistently ranking among the top college rugby teams in the nation. In 2007, head coach Tim O'Brien was recognised as Coach of the Year by American Rugby News. The rugby programme continued its success, winning the Division 1-A college rugby championship in 2014 and repeating as champions in 2015.
Beyond athletics, Saint Mary's College of California offers a well-rounded educational experience. The college provides signature study programmes, internships, and career opportunities in nearby Silicon Valley. With small class sizes and personalised instruction, students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to pursue their aspirations. The college's beautiful campus features a blend of architectural styles, including California Churrigueresque and Spanish Colonial Revival designs.
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Gael Community
Saint Mary's College in California is home to the Gaels. The college is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Gaels are known for their athletic prowess, with a strong history in various sports, including basketball, rugby, soccer, golf, and volleyball.
The men's basketball team has achieved national recognition, appearing in eight NCAA tournaments since 2005 and securing rankings in both the Associated Press and ESPN Top 25 polls. The team has also taken home several WCC tournament titles. Saint Mary's rugby team is equally impressive, consistently ranking among the top college rugby teams in the nation.
The Gael community at Saint Mary's College extends beyond athletics. The college offers a well-rounded education with signature study programs, internships, and career opportunities in nearby Silicon Valley. The Gael spirit embodies the power of passion and hard work, fostering a vibrant and intimate community that encourages student engagement and growth.
Community service is also a key aspect of the Gael Community. As a Lasallian school, Saint Mary's integrates community service into campus life. Students participate in "Saturday of Service," where they volunteer across the Bay Area, contributing to the larger community beyond the college.
The Gaels have a unique identity, originally named after the many Irish players on the squad by sportswriter Grantland Rice in the 1920s. Today, the Gael mascot represents the Irish warrior, symbolising the passion and energy that the students and athletes of Saint Mary's College embody.
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Saint Mary's Gaels rugby team
Saint Mary's College in Moraga, California, is home to the Gaels, a name purportedly given to the college's teams by sports writer Grantland Rice in the 1920s due to the large number of Irish players on the squad. The men's rugby team, in particular, is the oldest athletic club at the school and has enjoyed a great deal of success in recent years.
The Gaels have been competing in Division 1-A of college rugby in the California conference. They have finished in the top ten college rugby teams nationally for three consecutive years and were named the No. 1 Men's Rugby Team in the Country by U.S. News & World Report in 2025. The team has been revitalized in recent years with a new coaching staff and increasing alumni support. Head coach Tim O'Brien was named coach of the year by American Rugby News following the 2006-07 season.
The Gaels had a strong season in 2007-08, reaching the semifinals of the USA Rugby National Championship, losing to Cal 41-31, and finishing the season ranked #2 in the nation for Division 1. The team was led that season by Kevin Swiryn, who went on to play for the U.S. national team. The Gaels finished the 2010-11 season ranked fifth in the nation after reaching the national semifinals.
In the 2011-12 season, the Gaels won the Pacific Coast Conference championship, defeating defending national champion Cal 20-18 in a non-conference game, and beat Utah 24-15 in the national quarterfinals before losing to Arkansas State in the semifinals. The 2012-13 season saw the Gaels post an undefeated conference record and win the California Conference. They reached the national championship match, losing narrowly to Life University 16-14.
In 2014, the Gaels defeated BYU and Cal during the regular season and went on to beat Life University 21-6 in the D1A final to win the Division 1-A college rugby championship. They successfully defended their title in 2015, defeating Life University again in the final 30-24. The Gaels have also found success in rugby sevens, reaching the quarterfinals of the USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships in 2011 and winning the West Coast 7s tournament in 2012.
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Saint Mary's Gaels football team
Saint Mary's Gaels was the intercollegiate American football team for Saint Mary's College, located in Moraga, California. The team was also known as the "Galloping Gaels", owing to their flashy style and the flamboyant personality of their coach, Slip Madigan. Madigan helped the team win four consecutive conference championships from 1925 to 1928, with the team achieving undefeated seasons in 1926 and 1929. In 1927, the Saint Mary's Gaels had become one of the strongest football programs on the West Coast, defeating the likes of USC, UCLA, Cal, and Stanford.
The Gaels' football program was first established in 1892, and it was discontinued in 2004, with Saint Mary's citing budgetary reasons. The team competed in the NCAA as a Division II Independent football program. The Saint Mary's Gaels were a nationally known football power, with their most notable win coming in 1930, when they played Fordham in front of 65,000 people at New York City's Polo Grounds.
Saint Mary's College is a Bay Area liberal arts college located in the San Francisco Bay Area. The college offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various schools, including the School of Liberal Arts, the School of Science, and the School of Economics and Business Administration.
The Saint Mary's Gaels nickname was given to the college's football team in 1926 by Pat Frayne, a writer for the San Francisco Call-Bulletin. The name was reportedly chosen due to the high number of Irish players on the squad, as a Gael traditionally represents an Irish warrior. The college's athletic teams continue to be known as the Gaels, with the name now applying to the intercollegiate NCAA Division I teams and the school's club sports teams.
Today, the college's rugby team is particularly successful, having been named the No. 1 Men's Rugby Team in the Country by U.S. News & World Report in 2025. The rugby team plays in Division 1-A in the California conference and has finished the season ranked among the top ten college rugby teams in the country for three consecutive years. The Gaels have also won Division 1-A college rugby championships in 2014 and 2015.
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Saint Mary's Gaels basketball team
Saint Mary's College, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, is the home of the Gaels. The name "Gaels" is said to have originated in the 1920s when a famous sports writer, Grantland Rice, named the college "the Gaels" due to the large number of Irish players on the squad. The name stuck, and today, the Gaels mascot embodies the spirit of Saint Mary's College, representing the power of passion and hard work.
The Saint Mary's Gaels basketball team has gained national recognition as one of the top mid-major programs in the country. The men's basketball team, in particular, has appeared in eight NCAA tournaments since 2005 and has been featured in both the Associated Press and ESPN Top 25 polls. The team's success can be largely attributed to their coach, Randy Bennett, who took over in 2001. Bennett is known for his recruitment of Australian players, with the Gaels having at least one Australian player on the team every season since his arrival.
The Gaels' success on the court has been impressive, with notable wins against top-ranked teams. In 2010, they defeated the Richmond Spiders in the NCAA Tournament, their first tournament win since 1959. They then went on to beat second-seeded Villanova to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time. While they ended their remarkable run with a loss to Baylor, it marked a significant achievement for the program.
The 2011-2012 season was another standout year for the Gaels, with four AIS graduates on the team, including the 2012 WCC Player of the Year, Dellavedova, and another Australian, Jorden Page. The team compiled a 27-6 record, winning the outright WCC regular season title and defeating Gonzaga in overtime to claim the tournament title as well. This was the first time in school history that Saint Mary's had won both titles in the same year.
The Saint Mary's Gaels basketball team has brought excitement and success to the college, with their passionate and dedicated community of students and fans cheering them on. The Gaels' strong performance on the court, coupled with their unique and proud identity, has established them as a notable force in college basketball.
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Frequently asked questions
St Mary's Gaels is located in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.
A Gael is traditionally an Irish warrior, representing the power of passion and hard work.
St Mary's Gaels have teams for several sports, including basketball, rugby, soccer, golf, baseball, and volleyball.
The men's basketball team is recognized nationally as one of the top mid-major programs in the country, appearing in eight NCAA tournaments since 2005. They have also made appearances in the ESPN and Associated Press Top 25 polls.
