Athletics
The university competes in 18 Division I (NCAA) sports and its athletics teams are known as the "Bearcats". Since July 1, 2005, they have been members of the Big East Conference. They were previously members of Conference USA, of which they were a founding member, the Great Midwest Conference, the Metro Conference, and the Mid-American Conference, among others.
The university's most well-known rivalries are with Miami University, the University of Louisville, the University of Pittsburgh and Xavier University. The Bearcats lost to their arch rival, the Musketeers, in 2011 and now hold a 48 to 31 lead in their annual contest, the Crosstown Shootout. The two teams were involved in an ugly brawl during the 2011 Shootout, resulting in numerous suspensions for players on both teams. UC is known for its rich tradition in basketball, but have enjoyed recent a successful decade in football which is the fifth oldest program in college football, having started collegiate play in 1885 in the first collegiate football game in the State of Ohio. Besides its varsity sports, the university also has a diverse number of intercollegiate club sports teams and has recently passed legislation to distinguish some clubs as Club Varsity. Some include the Wrestling club and the club Rowing team, which produced 2004 Olympian Kelly Salchow.
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