UBalt 100: Bees' Winning Athletics History

For 55 years, The University of Baltimore nurtured an athletic tradition that left an indelible mark on collegiate sports in the city.

Beginning in 1928, just three years after the University was founded and ending in 1983, UBalt’s athletic history is filled with remarkable achievements, unforgettable moments celebrated athletes.

From the mid-20th century to the early 80s, UBalt's Bees earned over 150 All-American honors across sports including as baseball, basketball, soccer, wrestling and lacrosse. The University secured numerous Mason-Dixon Conference championships, showcasing their dominance in regional competitions.

Two milestones stand out in UBalt’s sports history. First, the 1962 men's soccer team achieved national glory by winning the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) championship.

Then, in 1975, UB's men's soccer team won the NCAA Division II national championship. This victory against Seattle-Pacific College in front of 7,000 spectators remains a proud moment for UBalt, cementing its place in the annals of collegiate soccer history.

"A lot of great soccer players came out of Baltimore and that was a great soccer time," said Pete A. Caringi Jr., B.A. '80, a member of UBalt's 1975 NCAA National Championship soccer team and member of UBalt's Athletic Hall of Fame. "Dr. Turner was one of the best for sure. A lot of guys on the team, he knew personally, he would talk to, he would ask how we're doing in school. The best thing that ever happened to me was getting my degree here. It opened doors up for later on down the road."

Larry Shane, Class of '61, also remembered his time at the University of Baltimore and its athletic program fondly.

“We were in the Mason Dixon Conference, and we were an official member of the Conference," he recalled in an oral history interview. "We won the championship. One year, I was with a team [and] one year we won the championship. The lacrosse team was tremendous. We had a great lacrosse team. We had a good soccer team. ... And we had about four or five sports. And basically, I was the sports editor for the entire time I was at the University of Baltimore.”

Athletics Through The Decades

The 1963 yearbook captures the soccer team in a huddle on the sidelines ahead of another victory. The "Pitchman" won a Mason Dixon Championship in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1958 and 1960, and won their first national championship in 1962.

The 1934 women's basketball team kicked off an impressive history of women's sports at UBalt. Dubbed the Queen Bees, this squad of 12 would beat every state opponent. 

The 1941 Reporter features two student members of the golf team: Otto Greiner (left), a so-called "par-busting shotmaker" who ranks among the state titleholders, and Eddie Johnston, a "peerless putter" and the year's state intercollegiate champ.

This group photograph shows the University's 1932 football team. Football was one of the earlier additions to the athletics program.

The 1948 tennis squad, led by a student coach, John Howell, included men and one woman. Clare Barnett (left) was the first female member of the tennis team and netted a municipal championship. Don Constam joined Clare as one of six team members.

UBalt's matmen dominated the Mason-Dixon conference, according to the 1957 Reporter, sweeping six dual meets and facing only two losses, both out of state, during the season.

Junior Paul Nicolson celebrates with his teammates (left) after a win against Loyola, the Bees' arch-rival, in a 1964 ballgame. Ron Mather (right) helped shut out his competition from the field.

The 1967 Bees lacrosse team poses for a winning season that games against local and long-distance rivals.

Two University of Baltimore students contend in an intramural boxing match, captured in the 1939 Reporter. Intramural sports included volleyball, table tennis and badminton, among others.

In 1952, the Mount Washington campus at Rogers Avenue was purchased by the University of Baltimore. This 45-acre site was used to host athletic activities and university events. Fans lined stands and a concrete wall to root for the Bees. 

The University's Athletics Hall of Fame, established in the early 2000s, continues to honor the student-athletes' achievements. With inductees including standout players, coaches, and teams, it celebrates decades of athletic excellence. The Hall of Fame is a testament to UBalt's sports legacy, ensuring that the stories of perseverance, skill and teamwork live on.

The University's archives offer an invaluable look back into UBalt's sports history, which also included women's sports and intramural programs. 

The first women's team was basketball, starting in 1934 with 12 members. Four years after their inaugural year, the team, dubbed the Queen Bees, beat every state opponent and earned a bid for the National Amateur Union Basketball Championship Tournament. They won their first game in the tournament but were eliminated in the second.

UBalt students also competed in various intramural sports including ping pong and badminton.  

While competitive athletics no longer define UBalt's campus life, its legacy serves as an inspiration, reflecting the determination and excellence that resonate across all aspects of the University community.

Learn more about UBalt's past, present and future; visit the UBalt 100 Centennial website.