What is UMBC? What's a retriever? And other questions you may have about the bracket buster
CATONSVILLE, Md. -- UMBC made history on Friday night when it became the first 16 seed to upset a No. 1 in the history of the men's tournament. Here's what to know about this year's bracket-busting team.
What is UMBC?
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County is a public research university located in Baltimore County, Maryland. Founded in 1966, the university had a total enrollment of nearly 14,000 students in fall 2017. The institution is known within academia for its science, engineering and information technology programs.
As any student or alumnus will tell you, it's not the University of Maryland -- though also part of the University System of Maryland, the University of Maryland is a completely separate institution located in College Park, just outside of Washington, D.C. And yes, Baltimore County is different from the City of Baltimore (in fact, there's also a University of Maryland, Baltimore).
What's a retriever, its mascot?
UMBC's mascot is the Chesapeake Bay retriever, a breed that the American Kennel Club describes as a "peerless pick dog of the mid-Atlantic" and an "American original who embodies the classic traits of a good retriever: loyal, upbeat, affectionate, and tireless."
The dog's nickname is True Grit, and the school's colors are gold and black.
What's UMBC's athletic program like?
UMBC is an NCAA Division I school in the America East Conference. The school sponsors baseball, basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, track and field, softball, cross country, volleyball and softball programs, among others.
What impact did their historic win have on March Madness?
A big one. According to ESPN, none of the 17.3 million brackets submitted to the network's Tournament Challenge are perfect after the school's upset. Prior to the win, only 3.35 percent of players had chosen UMBC over Virginia.
When is the next UMBC game?
The Retrievers are set to take on the Kansas State Wildcats (#9) on Sunday, March 18, at 7:45 p.m. ET in Charlotte.
