Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt is a charter member of the Southeastern Conference and is the conference's only private school. With approximately 6,400 undergraduates, the school is also by far the smallest in the conference; the University of Mississippi, the next smallest, has nearly twice as many undergraduate students. Vanderbilt fields fewer teams than any of its rivals and sometimes lacks the national prominence enjoyed by schools such as the University of Florida or the University of Kentucky. Men's and women's tennis and men's and women's basketball are traditionally Vanderbilt's strongest sports, with the more recently founded women's lacrosse and bowling programs as well as the long-standing men's baseball program experiencing national success, winning the 2014 and 2019 College World Series. And being the national runner up in the 2015 and 2021 College World Series. After enjoying success in the first half of the 20th century, the football program struggled through the beginning of the 21st century. In the 2008–09 season, however, the Vanderbilt football team posted a winning season and won its first bowl game in 53 years. Under previous coach James Franklin, the football program enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance; since Franklin's arrival at Vanderbilt in 2011, the Commodores have appeared in consecutive bowl games for the first time in school history (2011 and 2012), and the 2012 team posted Vanderbilt's first 9-win season in over 80 years. Lack of athletic department In September 2003, Vanderbilt disbanded its athletic department. Intercollegiate athletics are now administered as a part of the university's Division of Student Life, which oversees all student organizations and activities. Vanderbilt is currently the only Division I school without a separate athletic department. In making this decision, Chancellor Gordon Gee cited a need to reform college athletics, returning the emphasis to the student half of student-athletes. Mascot history Vanderbilt's intercollegiate athletics teams are nicknamed the Commodores, in honor of the nickname given to Cornelius Vanderbilt, who made his fortune in shipping. Fans often refer to Vanderbilt athletic teams as "Dores" or use the cheer "Go Dores!" The term commodore was used by the Navy during the mid- to late nineteenth century. A commodore was the commanding officer of a task force of ships, and therefore higher in rank than a captain but lower in rank than an admiral. It was the highest rank in the United States Navy until the Civil War. The closest warfighting rank in today's Navy is rear admiral lower half. (In the British Royal Navy, the designation of commodore was applied to the commanding officer.) Since the term was used most during the late nineteenth century—and because it was then that Cornelius received his nickname—Vanderbilt's mascot is always portrayed as a naval officer from the 1880s, complete with chops, cutlass, and nineteenth-century naval regalia. School colors The school colors are black and gold. Opinions vary as to the reason for selecting black and gold as the colors for Vanderbilt's teams. Some say the original colors were orange and black, given to the university by Judge W.L. Granbery of Princeton. Others say that Commodore Vanderbilt's legacy was called upon to develop school colors for the university that bears his name: black for the magnate's control of coal and gold for his money. When questioned about the subject in the 1930s, the few remaining members of the school's first football squad from 1890 did not recall why they suddenly began appearing in black and gold. Whatever the source of the colors, by 1892, the Commodores were known by the colors that Vanderbilt fans still wear today. Traditions and rivalries ;Rivalries Vanderbilt's primary rival in almost every sport is the University of Tennessee. There is also a rivalry with the University of Kentucky in basketball. In addition, the Commodores' second-oldest rivalry is with Ole Miss, and the two schools play each other every year as SEC cross-division "permanent opponents". In addition, Vanderbilt and the University of Louisville of the ACC play for the "Battle of the Barrel" each year in baseball. ;Football gameday traditions in 2007 Vanderbilt has a number of football traditions: the "Commodore Creed" in the football locker room; the "Corridor of Captains" that honors Vanderbilt's athletics history; the "Star Walk" with fans, cheerleaders, and the Spirit of Gold Marching Band; the "Star V," an on-field formation by the marching band; the "Admiral", a foghorn from a U.S. Navy battleship that blows after every Vanderbilt score; "Mr. C," the mascot; the "Anchor Dash" by first-year students rushing the football field before kickoff of each season's home opener; the "Victory Flag" that is raised over Dudley Field after home wins; and the singing of the "Alma Mater" at the conclusion of a game (in most sports), win or lose. ;Fight song The Vanderbilt fight song, "Dynamite," was written by student Francis Craig in 1924. The song references the vigor with which Vanderbilt plays and the enthusiasm of the university's fans, who cheer regardless of the outcome of the game. ;VU hand sign Formed by extending the thumb, index, and middle fingers of the hand (similar to the Serbian three-finger salute), the resulting shape forms a "V" and "U". It was introduced by Vanderbilt's cheerleaders in 2003. ==Varsity teams==