Buck Shaw Stadium

Named after former Santa Clara football coach, Lawrence T. "Buck" Shaw, Buck Shaw Stadium has served as a showcase for some of Santa Clara University's proudest athletic achievements since the facility opened in 1962. Besides serving as the home for the Bronco soccer team, the 6,800-seat facility also houses Santa Clara baseball.

The stadium was dedicated on October 6, 1962, prior to the football game between Santa Clara and Occidental, but was first used in the Broncos' loss to UC Davis on Sept. 22, 1962. Through the years, the spirit of Buck Shaw has been kept alive by the many great athletes who have competed on the stadium's turf over the past 38 years.

Buck Shaw Stadium earned national attention four years ago, when it played host to the 1996 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship. Earlier in the season, a crowd of 3,714, a SCU regular-season soccer attendance record, came to watch Santa Clara defeat top-ranked Notre Dame 3-1. But on Dec. 6 and 8, a packed house assembled to watch North Carolina beat Santa Clara, Notre Dame and Portland for the NCAA Championship. The two-day attendance of 17,600 was a record for the event, and the 8,800 that filled the expanded seating on each day of the tournament marked the largest crowds ever to watch a collegiate women's soccer game in U.S. history.

In 1994, the facility served as the practice site for the Brazilian National Team during the World Cup competition. Brazil, the eventual World Cup Champions, practiced from May 26 through July 7 in front of full stands. Later in the competition, the Romanian squad also utilized Buck Shaw Stadium to prepare for its quarterfinal match with Sweden.

Lawrence T. "Buck" Shaw
circa 1939

The Santa Clara men's and women's soccer teams have used the facility to great advantage. From 1988 through '92, the men's squad put together a 43-match unbeaten streak in Buck Shaw, including five home victories in the NCAA Tournament in 1989 and '91. The women's team has compiled a 123-16-9 mark on the home turf since 1986, are in the midst of a 31-match win streak dating to 1997, and in 1989, '90, '97, '98 and '99, won an NCAA Regional at home to advance to the national semifinals. In the last five seasons, Santa Clara has gone 12-0 in NCAA Regional play at home and are a combined 21-4-0 all time in post-season play at Buck Shaw Stadium.

The Santa Clara baseball team has called the facility home since 1963, and has advanced to the NCAA playoffs 11 times since playing its first game on Buck Shaw Stadium's diamond. The football team compiled a 106-42-1 home record during its stay at Buck Shaw, including five seasons which saw the Broncos post perfect home records. In one stretch, Santa Clara won 20 consecutive home games.