The Santa Clara University Men’s Football & Rugby Club Records, 1869-1993 (bulk 1929-1993), document the history of men’s football and rugby over a 120-year period and an 85-year period, respectively. The records consist of media guides, newspaper clippings, photographs, players and coaching staff rosters, score cards, and season schedules. The media guides are publications used by local and national media to track the teams, and include historical records, photographs, player profiles, season previews and team statistics. This collection is arranged into one series: Series I. Santa Clara University Men’s Football & Rugby Club Records, 1869-1993 (bulk 1929-1993).

Santa Clara University was founded in 1851 by the Society of Jesus as Santa Clara College and is California’s oldest operating institution of higher learning. It was established on the grounds of Mission Santa Clara de Asìs, the eighth of the original 21 California missions. The college originally operated as a preparatory school and did not offer courses of collegiate rank until 1853. The institution became known as the University of Santa Clara in 1912, when the schools of engineering and law were added. For 110 years, Santa Clara University was an all-male school. In 1961, women were accepted as undergraduates and Santa Clara University became the first coeducational Catholic university in California. The number of students and faculty tripled over the next decade and the university began the largest building program in school history with eight residence halls, a student union, and an athletic stadium. In the early 1970s, the Board of Trustees voted to limit the size of the undergraduate population, an action that was intended to preserve the character and ensure the quality of the university for generations to come. In 1985, the university adopted Santa Clara University as its official name.

10.0 linear feet, 16 boxes, 17 bound volumes

Materials in the Department of Archives & Special Collections may be subject to copyright. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, Santa Clara University does not claim ownership of the copyright of any materials in its collections. The user or publisher must secure permission to publish from the copyright owner. Santa Clara University does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or of publication rights held by the original author or artists or his/her heirs, assigns, or executors.

The collection is open for research.