Santa Clara University snaps 30-year drought and heads to March Madness
For the first time in 30 years, Santa Clara University is heading back to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
The Broncos received an invitation to the big dance on Selection Sunday, ending a three-decade drought and sparking celebrations on campus as students, players, coaches and alumni gathered to watch the announcement.
The last time Santa Clara reached the tournament was in 1996, when Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash led the Broncos to the national stage.
Sophomore track athlete McCoy Brooks said the moment was especially meaningful given how long it has been since the school last appeared in March Madness. He and hundreds of fellow Santa Clara students cheered on the basketball players when the selection was made.
"I was talking to my mom about it. She was watching Steve Nash and everything when she was in high school. It's been that long since they made it to the tournament," Brooks said.
Brooks added that the national exposure could help raise the school's profile as millions of fans across the country fill out their tournament brackets.
"Think of the millions of people that are going to be filling out their brackets, Santa Clara is now a name on their bracket," he said.
Students said the tournament bid is not only a reward for the basketball program but also a boost for the entire university community.
The Broncos earned the No. 10 seed in the Midwest Regional and will face Kentucky on Friday in St. Louis.
For sophomore Kaden Helder, who is on the track and cross-country team, the tournament appearance could have broader benefits for athletics at the school.
"As a member of the athletic department, on the track and cross-country team, it's huge for us. This is an opportunity for [more] funding, for more recognition," Helder said.
Other students said they were simply proud of the players' work to reach the tournament.
"First thing I felt was excitement and I'm really proud because I know all of our players worked really hard," said junior Ayden Eways.
"Pure excitement. Being a student here and getting to experience this, just the hype of all the people, I feel so happy for the basketball players," said sophomore Jaden Smith, who watched the selection with his mother, soccer legend Brandi Chastain, and father Jerry Smith, who coaches Santa Clara women's soccer team.
Chastain, who played at Santa Clara in the late 1980s, said the moment highlights the university on a national stage.
"It allows us to put our name even stronger on the map. People need to know where Santa Clara is, who we are, what we stand for, what we believe in." Chastain said.
Many on campus believe the Broncos could surprise opponents in the tournament and hope the team can make a deep run as a potential Cinderella story.
With about 6,700 undergraduate students, Santa Clara is one of the smaller schools in the tournament field — but students said the program already feels like a winner just by earning a spot among the nation's top 68 teams.