Marquette's intercollegiate athletic teams were historically known as Warriors, but the nickname was changed to Golden Eagles
in the 1990s. The school's colors are blue and gold. Marquette is a non-football Division I member of the NCAA and competes in the Conference USA. In 2005, the school will join the Big East Conference.The school is known for the success of its men's basketball team. The Golden
Eagles, then known as the Warriors, won the 1977 NCAA Tournament
and were runners-up in 1974. In 2003, the team
defeated Kentucky to reach the Final Four. The team plays in the nearby home of the Milwaukee Bucks, the Bradley Center. The
women's team plays in the Al McGuire
Center, named for the famous coach.Marquette's football team appeared in the first Cotton Bowl in 1937 against Texas Christian, losing 16-6. Big-time football was
last played on the MU campus in 1960. The sport has since been brought back at the club level.Athletic rivals include Wisconsin,
Notre Dame, DePaul, and Cincinnati.