Cal Poly Mustangs

The Cal Poly official team nickname is the "Mustangs."{{cite web|url=https://lib.calpoly.edu/news/2018/09/the-evolution-of-musty-the-mustang/|title=The Evolution of Musty the Mustang|publisher=lib.calpoly.edu|access-date=May 27, 2019}} The nickname was chosen in a 1925 vote by the students. The two finalists were "Mustangs" and "Mules" and the students chose "Mustangs."

The Cal Poly Mustangs athletic department's first sports team was fielded in 1907 as the men's basketball team played their first game. The university was not yet a four-year institution, but the school sponsored sports.{{cite web|url=https://www.gopoly.com/sports/mbkb/From_the_Dirt_Courts_to_the_Big_Dance|title=From the Dirt Courts to the Big Dance|publisher=gopoly.com|access-date=May 26, 2019}}

Cal Poly put a referendum vote to its student body on Nov. 20–21, 1991. The referendum passed, with students voting to elevate all 16 NCAA sports teams at the time from Division II of the NCAA to Division I by the 1994–95 school year, passed by 267 votes{{Cite web|url=https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5347&context=studentnewspaper|title=Mustang Daily, November 25, 1991}} in the largest voter turnout in school history,{{Cite web|url=https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5346&context=studentnewspaper|title=Mustang Daily, November 22, 1991}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-10-14-sp-50362-story.html|title=Referendum to Raise Student Fees Could Decide Fate of CSUN Athletics|date=October 14, 1994|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 7, 2019|issn=0458-3035}} featuring 10,369 total votes cast, with 5,318 (or 51.2 percent) passing the measure.{{Cite web|url=https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5346&context=studentnewspaper|title=Mustang Daily, November 22, 1991}} This move would be accommodated by the student body individually paying a total of $35 more per quarter by 1994 (steadily going in increments from the incumbent $8 Athletics fee at the time to $43 per quarter by 1994).{{Cite web|url=https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5342&context=studentnewspaper|title=Mustang Daily, November 18, 1991}}{{Cite web|url=https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5347&context=studentnewspaper|title=Mustang Daily, November 25, 1991}}

Afterward, the NCAA officially certified Cal Poly as a Division I-AA football school on August 9, 1993. Its first year of playing at the Division I level in all sports (volleyball and wrestling were already Division I, being the two exceptions) was 1994–95.

Announced October 14, 1994,{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-10-14-sp-50368-story.html|title=Big West Announces Another Expansion : College sports: Boise State, Idaho and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo accept invitations to join conference. North Texas to announce its decision on Monday.|date=October 14, 1994|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 7, 2019|issn=0458-3035}} Cal Poly joined the Big West Conference for a majority of its sports programs,{{Cite web|url=https://www.viewbook.calpoly.edu/|title=Viewbook {{!}} Cal Poly Admissions|website=www.viewbook.calpoly.edu|access-date=June 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608060356/https://viewbook.calpoly.edu/|archive-date=June 8, 2019|url-status=dead}} from the American West Conference. The 1996–97 school year then marked Cal Poly's first season competing in the Big West.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ustfccca.org/infozone/public-conf-home.php?confno=11|title=USTFCCCA InfoZone ::: Conference History – Big West Conference|website=www.ustfccca.org|access-date=June 7, 2019}}

Cal Poly was accepted into the Big Sky Conference as an affiliate member for football on September 7, 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://bigskyconf.com/news/2010/9/7/FB_0907100731.aspx?path=football|title=Big Sky Adds Cal Poly, UC Davis to Football Lineup|website=bigskyconf.com|access-date=June 7, 2019}} The Mustangs' first-ever Big Sky game was played on September 22, 2012, a 28–20 home win over UC Davis.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sanluisobispo.com/sports/article39423678.html|title=Cal Poly football team beats UC Davis|last=Writer|first=JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports|website=sanluisobispo|access-date=June 7, 2019}}

On May 25, 2017, Cal Poly announced an exclusive partnership with adidas. The partnership beginning in June 2017 would provide official footwear, apparel and various equipment items.{{Cite web|url=https://mustangnews.net/cal-poly-athletics-announces-new-partnership-adidas/|title=Cal Poly Athletics announces new partnership with adidas|last=Hershfield|first=Krista|date=May 26, 2017|website=Mustang News|access-date=June 7, 2019}}

In May 2019, Cal Poly received a department-record seven Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA for Academic Progress Rate performance for the 2017–18 academic year.{{Cite web |url=https://web3.ncaa.org/aprsearch/aprawards|title=Public Recognition Awards|website=web3.ncaa.org|access-date=June 7, 2019}} The seven awards included six from Big West Conference teams in the department, the most throughout the Big West (edging UC Davis by one award).{{Cite web|url=https://www.gopoly.com/genrel/2019APR|title=Cal Poly Student-Athletes Continue to Perform Well in the Classroom|date=May 8, 2019|website=Cal Poly|access-date=June 7, 2019}} The Mustangs collected four NCAA APR awards for the 2018–19 year, again leading the BWC.{{Cite web |title=Four Teams Earn NCAA Public Recognition Awards, Tops in Big West |url=https://gopoly.com/news/2020/6/4/genrel-2020PRA.aspx |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=Cal Poly |date=June 4, 2020 |language=en}}

From 2007 through 2019, the Cal Poly softball program raised over $21,900 for the Hearst Cancer Resource Center with its annual StrikeOut Cancer Challenge event.{{Cite web |title=Cal Poly Softball's StrikeOut Cancer Day Returns Saturday |url=https://gopoly.com/news/2022/4/21/cal-poly-softballs-strikeout-cancer-day-returns-saturday.aspx |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=Cal Poly |language=en}}

From 2012 to 2019, Cal Poly student-athletes raised $11,179 through the Big West Conference's annual February Coin Drive, with previous causes also including the Jessie Rees Foundation and CURE International.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gopoly.com/general/2018-19/releases/20190314o366t9|title=Cal Poly Student-Athletes Raise Record $3,300 for Hearst CRC|date=March 14, 2019|website=Cal Poly|access-date=June 7, 2019}} In 2019, Cal Poly student-athletes raised more than $3,300 for Hearst Cancer Resource Center at nearby French Hospital as part of the 12th annual February Coin Drive.{{Cite web|url=http://68.252.159.44/story.asp?STORY_ID=21008|title=Home Page - bigwest.org|website=68.252.159.44|access-date=June 7, 2019}}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The total was the most Cal Poly has raised in a single year and ranked second among the conference's nine universities for 2019.{{Cite web|url=http://68.252.159.44/assets/default/2019_Coin_Drive_Final_Release.pdf|title=Big West SAAC Raises More Than $15,000 For 12th Annual Coin Drive|access-date=June 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607224505/http://68.252.159.44/assets/default/2019_Coin_Drive_Final_Release.pdf|archive-date=June 7, 2019|url-status=dead}}

Starting in December 2015, Cal Poly student-athletes have been actively involved with the Salvation Army's Adopt-an-Angel program,{{Cite web |url=https://www.gopoly.com/genrel/angeltree|title=Cal Poly Athletics and Block P Raise Money for Angel Tree Program|date=December 9, 2015|website=Cal Poly|access-date=June 8, 2019}} purchasing toys, clothing and gift cards while collecting donations to benefit local families in the San Luis Obispo area. In 2017, Mustang student-athletes adopted 50 children from 24 families,{{Cite web |url=https://bigwest.org/news/2017/12/19/IMPORTED_STORY_20171_20171.aspx|title=#BigWestCares: The Big West Gives Back This Holiday Season|website=bigwest.org|access-date=June 8, 2019}} an increase of three sponsored children from the 2016 season.{{Cite web|url=https://bigwest.org/news/2016/12/20/IMPORTED_STORY_19490_19490.aspx|title=#BigWestCares: The Big West Gives Back This Holiday Season|website=bigwest.org|access-date=June 8, 2019}} The December 2018 drive saw Cal Poly student-athletes adopt 32 children for the program.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/CPMustangs/status/1072214448012648448|title=Our student-athletes and their annual holiday shopping spree for the 32 kids they've adopted through Salvation Army's Angel Tree program! #RideHigh #BigWestCarespic.twitter.com/qgoLzAZefS|last=Mustangs|first=Cal Poly|date=December 10, 2018 |website=@CPMustangs|access-date=June 8, 2019}}

In 1987 while competing as an NCAA Division II school, the National Collegiate Athletic Association found the athletic department guilty of infractions relating to the men's basketball program.{{Cite news |date=May 5, 1987 |title=Cal Poly SLO Is Placed on One-Year Probation |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-05-05-sp-3899-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |agency=Associated Press |access-date=April 18, 2019}} During the course of the investigation, then head coach Ernie Wheeler resigned from his position and was later publicly reprimanded.

As the department was transitioning from Division II to NCAA Division I in 1994, the department self-reported violations related to the baseball program.{{Cite news |last=Najarian |first=Ara |date=June 3, 1994 |title=Cal Poly SLO Punishes Itself for Baseball Sins |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-03-sp-65430-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=April 18, 2019}} Cal Poly identified head coach Steve McFarland as having given improper financial aid to both players and members of his coaching staff. In 1995, the NCAA accepted Cal Poly's self-imposed penalties which included forfeiture of their NCAA Division II baseball championship and other top finishes and a postseason ban.{{Cite news |last=Hiserman |first=Mike |date=January 20, 1995 |title=NCAA Lets Cal Poly SLO Write Its Own Ticket |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-01-20-sp-22207-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=April 18, 2019}}

In April 2019, the athletic department was placed on probation for multiple years and was forced to vacate regular season championships and conference tournament records by the NCAA.{{Cite web |url=http://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/26554592/ncaa-comes-cal-poly-books-violation |title=NCAA comes down on Cal Poly for books violation |last=Bonagura |first=Kyle |date=April 18, 2019 |website=ESPN |access-date=April 18, 2019}} The NCAA reported years worth of infractions involving 265 athletes across 18 sports.{{Cite news |last=Itel |first=Dan |date=April 18, 2019 |title=Cal Poly hit with major NCAA sanctions — and it could lose its one March Madness berth |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |url=https://www.sanluisobispo.com/sports/college/cal-poly/article229426089.html |url-status=dead |access-date=April 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418210624/https://www.sanluisobispo.com/sports/college/cal-poly/article229426089.html |archive-date=April 18, 2019}} Additionally, the school must now inform all recruits about the department's infractions prior to official visits. In deciding on the severity of punishment, the NCAA noted Cal Poly's two earlier infractions from 1987 and 1995.{{Cite web |url=https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/enforcement/infractions/decisions/Apr2019D1INF_CalPolyPublicDecision.pdf |title=California Polytechnic State University Public Infractions Decision |date=April 18, 2019 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |type=.pdf |access-date=April 18, 2019}} The athletic department appealed, but the decision was upheld in February 2020.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/appeals-committee-upholds-cal-poly-vacation-records-penalty |title=Appeals committee upholds Cal Poly vacation of records penalty |last=James |first=Emily |date=February 6, 2020 |website=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=June 12, 2020}}

In November 2013, a student assistant coach who previously played for the Cal Poly Mustangs football team was shot in a drug deal.{{Cite news |last=Hickey |first=Julia |date=November 22, 2013 |title=Shooting near Cal Poly may be related to drug deal, police say |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/crime/article39461820.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}}{{Cite news |last1=Scroggin |first1=Joshua D. |last2=Fountain |first2=Matt |date=August 12, 2014 |title=Cal Poly to investigate drug activity in football program, president says |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/crime/article39493719.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}} The following year in August 2014, further problems beset the football team when 5 current Cal Poly student-athletes were arrested and charged with a total of 23 felonies which made national headlines.{{Cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/five-cal-poly-players-charged-with-23-felonies-in-alleged-robbery-172713488.html |title=Five Cal Poly players charged with 23 felonies in alleged robbery |last=Bromberg |first=Nick |date=August 23, 2014 |website=Yahoo! Sports |access-date=July 1, 2016}}{{Cite news |last=Owens |first=Caitlin |date=August 12, 2014 |title=Cal Poly football players allegedly rob frat house at gunpoint |url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-cal-poly-football-players-frat-house-robbery-20140812-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |access-date=July 1, 2016}}{{Cite news |last=Fountain |first=Matt |date=August 22, 2014 |title=Charges filed against Cal Poly football players accused of armed robbery |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/crime/article39494646.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}} The players were subsequently suspended indefinitely from the team.{{Cite news |last=Mitchell |first=Houston |date=August 11, 2014 |title=5 Cal Poly football players arrested for allegedly robbing frat house |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-cal-poly-football-players-arrested-20140811-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |access-date=July 1, 2016}}

California Polytechnic State University president, Jeffrey Armstrong, stated that the August 2014 event "bears striking commonalities" with the November 2013 event, which was also noted by San Luis Obispo Police Department Chief Steve Gesell as having "disturbing" similarities.{{Cite news |last1=Scroggin |first1=Joshua D. |last2=Fountain |first2=Matt |date=August 11, 2014 |title=Motive sought in attempted robbery allegedly involving Cal Poly football players |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/crime/article39493587.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}} Armstrong, with athletic director, Don Oberhelman, launched an investigation into the football team's potential further involvement with illegal drugs and criminal activity and rolled out a new drug policy for the athletics department. It was reported by The Tribune that cost was a factor cited by Cal Poly when testing just 41 of its 540 student-athletes for banned substances within the last year.{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Nick |date=August 15, 2014 |title=Cal Poly did minimal drug testing of athletes because of costs |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/sports/college/cal-poly/article39494028.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}} Oberhelman later stated that some of the players involved "... should not have been at Cal Poly." He also stated that he had heard of illegal drug usage among members of the football team. According to current and former players who spoke with The Tribune confidentially, the consensus was that illegal drug usage at the football program was widespread, with estimates ranging between 40% and 60% of the student-athletes. Athletic director Oberhelman kept faith in head coach Tim Walsh and his coaching staff despite Randy Hanson, a former coach brought on by Walsh, had multiple felony charges brought upon him just a few years earlier.{{Cite news |last=Becerra |first=Hector |date=April 24, 2013 |title=Ex-Raiders assistant coach Randy Hanson on trial for assault |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-xpm-2013-apr-24-la-me-ln-raiders-coach-assault-20130424-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |access-date=July 1, 2016}}{{Cite news |last=Gleeson |first=Scott |date=August 25, 2012 |title=Former NFL coach arrested for smashing beer bottle on man |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2012/08/former-nfl-coach-arrested-for-smashing-beer-bottle-on-man/1 |newspaper=USA Today |location=Tysons Corner, Virginia |access-date=July 1, 2016}}{{Cite news |date=August 9, 2012 |title=Cal Poly coach suspended indefinitely |url=http://santamariatimes.com/sports/college/cal-poly/cal-poly-coach-suspended-indefinitely/article_07b9ecdc-e1dd-11e1-bc69-0019bb2963f4.html |newspaper=Santa Maria Times |location=Santa Maria, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}}{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Nick |date=August 21, 2012 |title=Ex-Cal Poly coach accused in bar fight is charged with two felonies |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article39212031.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}}{{Cite news |last=Lambert |first=Cynthia |date=April 29, 2013 |title=Ex-Raiders coach is found guilty in Pismo Beach beer-bottle attack |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/crime/article39442863.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}} One of the student-athletes' lawyers in the August 2014 event later accused head coach Tim Walsh in court of coercion to talk to the police without a lawyer present.{{Cite news |last=Pemberton |first=Patrick S. |date=August 13, 2015 |title=Cal Poly football player's rights were violated in robbery investigation, attorney says |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/crime/article39059247.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}}

In 2014, Cal Poly went to court to cover up or remove mentions of Moriarty Enterprises from the scoreboard at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.{{Cite news |last=Pemberton |first=Patrick S. |date=September 19, 2014 |title=Cal Poly can't cover up Al Moriarty's name on scoreboard, judge rules |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article39497247.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}} Al Moriarty, a former Cal Poly football player who was inducted to the Cal Poly Hall of Fame in 2002, purchased naming rights to the scoreboard in 2009 for a total of $625,000.{{Cite magazine |last=Fountain |first=Matt |date=February 28, 2013 |title=The troubled times of Al Moriarty |url=http://www.newtimesslo.com/cover/9120/the-troubled-times-of-al-moriarty/ |magazine=New Times |access-date=July 1, 2016}} He was convicted of running a ponzi scheme and Cal Poly argued that they were "...suffering harm by having the name 'Moriarty Enterprises' remain on the scoreboard."{{Cite news |date=September 1, 2014 |title=Cal Poly SLO seeks to cover up felon name on stadium scoreboard |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/education/ci_26447532/cal-poly-slo-seeks-cover-up-felon-name |newspaper=San Jose Mercury News |location=San Jose, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}} When bankruptcy trustees asked Cal Poly for the money to be returned to benefit Moriarty's creditors, Cal Poly declined. After nearly a year in court, an agreement was reached wherein Cal Poly repaid $480,000 of the original donation to remove mentions of Moriarty, leaving the school with a $145,000 profit from the original sponsorship.{{Cite news |last=Pemberton |first=Patrick S. |date=June 23, 2015 |title=Cal Poly gets OK to cover Al Moriarty's name on scoreboard, for now|url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article39541455.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2015/August/scoreboard.html |title=Cal Poly Announces Settlement Agreement Regarding Stadium Scoreboard Sign |date=August 19, 2015 |website=California Polytechnic State University |access-date=July 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305040351/http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2015/August/scoreboard.html |archive-date=March 5, 2017 |url-status=dead }}

In April 2015, a football student-athlete was arrested for driving under the influence, a felony, after crashing his car.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ksby.com/story/28842143/san-luis-obispo-man-accused-of-felony-dui-in-crash-that-caused-minor-injuries |title=UPDATE: Cal Poly football player accused of felony DUI in crash that caused minor injuries |date=April 19, 2015 |website=KSBY |access-date=July 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818083355/http://www.ksby.com/story/28842143/san-luis-obispo-man-accused-of-felony-dui-in-crash-that-caused-minor-injuries |archive-date=August 18, 2016 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |last=Hickey |first=Julia |date=April 19, 2015 |title=Cal Poly football player allegedly crashes into parked car, injuring two |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article39524592.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}} A number of the passengers in the car were also football student-athletes.{{Cite news |last1=Horner |first1=Leah |last2=Egel |first2=Benjy |date=April 20, 2015 |title=Cal Poly football player arrested for DUI |url=http://mustangnews.net/cal-poly-football-player-arrested-for-dui/ |newspaper=Mustang News |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}} Previously in March 2011, a different Cal Poly football player was arrested for a DUI and ultimately chose to transfer out of the program.{{Cite news |last=Scroggin |first=Joshua D. |date=March 30, 2011 |title=College Football: Cal Poly kicker could miss time for Mustangs |url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/sports/college/cal-poly/article39148137.html |newspaper=The Tribune |location=San Luis Obispo, California |access-date=July 1, 2016}}

File:Big West Conference logo 2021 in Cal Poly colors ltbg no-tm.svg

{{main|Cal Poly Mustangs baseball}}

File:Brooks Lee, Cal Poly @ California 20220405 (vertical).jpg playing baseball for the Mustangs in 2022]]

The Cal Poly Mustangs baseball program first fielded a team in 1948.{{Cite web |url=https://secure.techxpress.net/gopoly.com/images/uploads/pages/File/Baseball/2011/2011Guide.pdf |title=2010 Baseball Media Guide |access-date=May 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007181550/https://secure.techxpress.net/gopoly.com/images/uploads/pages/File/Baseball/2011/2011Guide.pdf |archive-date=October 7, 2011 |url-status=dead }}

{{main|Cal Poly Mustangs men's basketball}}

The Cal Poly Mustangs men's basketball team's first season was 1907 and its first season as a four-year institution was in 1941–42.{{cite web|url=https://www.gopoly.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/files/Cal_Poly_MBB_Year-by-Year_Final_Records.pdf|title=Cal Poly Men's Basketball Season-by-Season Overall and Conference Records|publisher=gopoly.com|access-date=May 26, 2019}} The team had its most successful year in 2014, when the team won the Big West Tournament, clinching its first NCAA basketball tournament bid in school history at the Division I level.

{{main|Cal Poly Mustangs women's basketball}}

The Cal Poly Mustangs women's basketball team's first season was the 1974–75 season.{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/calpoly/docs/201617cpwbkbrecordbook|title=Mustang History|publisher=issuu.com/calpoly|access-date=May 26, 2019}}

Cal Poly beach volleyball was founded in July 2013. It became the university's 21st NCAA sport.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gopoly.com/sports/wvball/2012-13/releases/20130712dawp1u|title=Cal Poly Volleyball adds Sand Competitions to Spring Schedule|access-date=June 9, 2019|archive-date=June 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609001536/https://www.gopoly.com/sports/wvball/2012-13/releases/20130712dawp1u|url-status=dead}} In February 2016, Cal Poly hired Todd Rogers, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist in the sport, as its new head coach.{{Cite web|url=https://santamariatimes.com/sports/college/cal-poly/beach-volleyball-gold-medalist-todd-rogers-joins-poly-staff/article_529bbea8-c85d-569c-954a-69bf9636aa21.html|title=Beach volleyball gold medalist Todd Rogers joins Poly staff|last=Contributed|website=Santa Maria Times|access-date=June 9, 2019}}

The Mustangs had arguably their most successful season in the spring of 2019, winning the Big West Conference Championship over Hawai'i, 3–2 in Malibu, California.{{Cite web|url=https://bigwest.org/news/2019/4/27/womens-beach-volleyball-cal-poly-makes-history-wins-first-ever-big-west-tournament.aspx|title=Cal Poly Makes History, Wins First-Ever Big West tournament|website=bigwest.org|access-date=June 9, 2019}} Following the title, Cal Poly advanced to the eight-team NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship,{{Cite web|url=https://volleyballmag.com/ncaa-beach-preview-050219/|title=NCAA beach: A primer as the 8-team tournament begins in Gulf Shores|last=Feinswog|first=Lee|date=May 2, 2019|website=Volleyballmag.com|access-date=June 9, 2019}} losing to Florida State in the opening match before dropping a rematch against Hawai'i on ESPN.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/article/26647057/|title=How to watch the NCAA beach volleyball national championships|website=espnW|date=May 5, 2019|access-date=June 9, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://ksby.com/sports/2019/05/03/cal-polys-historic-season-ends-in-ncaa-tournament|title=Cal Poly's historic season ends in NCAA Tournament|date=May 3, 2019|website=KSBY.com|access-date=June 9, 2019}} Cal Poly also qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2021 and 2022.

In 2019, coach Mark Conover and his men's squad collected their fourth straight Big West Conference title{{Cite web |title=Daschian, Ritter Repeat as Champs; Cal Poly Men Win 4th Straight Title |url=https://gopoly.com/news/2019/11/2/11_2_2019_8786.aspx |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=Cal Poly |language=en}} and the men's team's 17th crown in a 22-year span.{{Cite web |title=2021 M-W Cross Country Record Book (PDF) – The Big West |url=https://bigwest.org/documents/2021/12/16/M_W_XC_Record_Book.pdf |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=bigwest.org |language=en}} Their last national placing as a team was in 2011, when they finished 28th at the National Cross Country Championships.{{Citation |last= |first= |title=USTFCCCA NCAA Division I National Coaches' Poll: Cross Country All-Time Week-By-Week |date=November 21, 2016 |year= |url=https://www.ustfccca.org/assets/rankings/div1/2016-xc/DI_XC_Week-ByRank-ALLTIME.pdf |access-date= |publisher=U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association |last2= |first2= |author-link= |author2-link=}}. In 2018, the women's program, coached by Priscilla Bayley, captured its third Big West Conference crown in a four-year stretch.{{Cite web |title=Cal Poly Men 3-Peat at Championships; Mustang Women Retake Trophy |url=https://gopoly.com/news/2018/10/27/10_27_2018_8765.aspx |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=Cal Poly |language=en}}

The men's cross country team has appeared in the NCAA Division I Championships as a full squad seven times, with their highest finish being 10th place in the 2004–05 school year.{{cite web |title=Division I Men's Cross Country Championships Records Book |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_cross_country_champs_records/2018-19/D1.pdf |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=August 5, 2018}} The Cal Poly women's cross country team hasn't made the NCAA Division I Championships as a full team, but in 2018 advanced both Miranda Daschian and Katie Izzo as individuals to the NCAA National Cross Country Championships in Madison, Wisconsin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=552886|title=DyeStat.com – News – Cal Poly's Miranda Daschian and Katie Izzo Complete Unforgettable Comeback Stories to Race at NCAA Division 1 Championships|website=www.runnerspace.com|access-date=June 7, 2019}} Peyton Bilo was the program's most recent All-American, taking 23rd place at the 2016 national championships as a sophomore.{{Cite web|url=https://mustangnews.net/peyton-bilo-already-making-history/|title=Peyton Bilo: Racing to the front of Cal Poly's cross country and track and field teams|last=Frank|first=Michael|date=January 28, 2017|website=Mustang News|access-date=June 7, 2019}} Conover, the 1988 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials champion,{{Cite news |last=Cimons |first=Marlene |date=April 25, 1988 |title=U.S. Men's Marathon Trial : For Conover, It's a Lot Easier the Second Time |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-04-25-sp-1157-story.html}} passed in April 2022 following a battle with cancer.{{Cite web |title=Cal Poly Humboldt Hall of Famer, Mark Conover '83, Passes |url=https://humboldtathletics.com/news/2022/4/11/mens-cross-country-cal-poly-humboldt-hall-of-famer-mark-conover-81-passes.aspx |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics |language=en}}

On June 20, 2022, Ryan Vanhoy, previously coaching at Ole Miss, was appointed to lead Cal Poly's program as track and field and cross country director.{{Cite web |title=Ryan Vanhoy Named Cal Poly Director of Track & Field and Cross Country |url=https://olemisssports.com/news/2022/6/20/ryan-vanhoy-named-cal-poly-director-of-track-field-and-cross-country.aspx |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=Ole Miss Athletics |language=en}}

• Cal Poly alumnus Phillip Reid represented Team USA at the Great Edinburgh International Run in Scotland in 2012–13{{Cite web|url=https://www.aggiesrunning.com/athletes/phillip-reid|title=Phillip Reid|website=HOKA ONE ONE Aggies Running Club|access-date=June 8, 2019}} and at the North America/Central America/Caribbean Championships in Jamaica in 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://www.flotrack.org/results/5985575-2013-nacac-cross-country-championships/69|title=See the results for the 2013 NACAC Cross Country Championships track and field event on FloTrack.org|website=www.flotrack.org|access-date=June 8, 2019}}

{{main|Cal Poly Mustangs football}}

File:CalPolyFootballOffenseHuddleIn2023.jpg

Mustang Football plays in the Big Sky Conference, competing in the NCAA Division I FCS. Prior to joining the Big Sky Conference in 2012, the team competed in the Great West Conference and was the first Great West Football Conference participant in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Each year Cal Poly plays rival UC Davis in the annual Battle for the Golden Horseshoe.

The Cal Poly Mustangs have an NCAA Division I FCS Tournament record of 1–4 through four appearances:{{cite web |title=Division I FCS Football Championships Records Book |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_champs_records/2016/FCS.pdf |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=August 11, 2018}}

{{Main|Cal Poly football team C-46 crash}}

• Former Mustang Loren Roberts has earned more than 25 career pro wins at various tournaments.
• Cal Poly's Travis Bertoni, who won three consecutive Big West Conference Golfer of the Year awards from 2004 to 2006,{{Cite web |title=The Big West Men's Golf Individual Awards |url=https://bigwest.org/sports/2022/5/20/mgolf-big-west-mens-golf-individual-awards.aspx |access-date=June 16, 2022 |website=bigwest.org |language=en}} played at the U.S. Open in 2008.{{Cite web |title=Travis Bertoni Profile – News, Stats, and Videos |url=https://www.pgatour.com/players/player.31319.travis-bertoni.html |access-date=June 16, 2022 |website=PGATour |language=en}}
• Former Mustang Justin De Los Santos played at the British Open in 2022.

Cal Poly won the 2017 Big West Conference championship at Oak Quarry Golf Club in Riverside, California, besting the field with a combined total of 887 strokes.{{Cite web|url=https://bigwest.org/news/2018/12/30/cal-poly-wins-first-ever-big-west-womens-golf-championship.aspx?path=wgolf|title=Cal Poly Wins First-Ever Big West Women's Golf Championship|website=bigwest.org|access-date=June 9, 2019}} After winning the title, the Mustangs advanced to their first Division I NCAA Regional tournament,{{Cite web|url=https://bigwest.org/news/2017/4/27/IMPORTED_STORY_19809_19809.aspx|title=Cal Poly, Three Individuals Selected To NCAA Women's Golf Regional|website=bigwest.org|access-date=June 9, 2019}} finishing 16th{{Cite web|url=https://magazine.calpoly.edu/year-in-review-2017/the-mustang-report/|title=The Mustang Report|website=Cal Poly Magazine|access-date=June 9, 2019}} in Albuquerque, New Mexico at UNM South Championship Golf Course. Cal Poly also won back-to-back BWC team championships in 2021 and 2022.{{Cite web |title=2022 Big West Women's Golf Championships – The Big West |url=https://bigwest.org/tournaments/?id=81 |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=bigwest.org |language=en}}

{{main|Cal Poly Mustangs men's soccer}}

The Cal Poly Mustangs men's soccer team has had success in recent years. In 2008, coach Paul Holocher led his team to the NCAA Division I tournament; they went on to beat UCLA and ended up losing to UC Irvine in the second round. Coach Steve Sampson led the team back to the NCAA tournament in 2015, and three Cal Poly players were selected in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, tied for the seventh-most nationally.

Cal Poly soccer has a strong fan base, averaging 2,017 fans per match in 2019, ranking No. 5 across the country.{{Cite web |title=2020 Men's Soccer Record Book |url=https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2020/3/17/2020-men-s-soccer-record-book.aspx |access-date=June 10, 2022 |website=NCAA.org |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In 2011, CollegeSoccerNews.com chose Cal Poly vs. UC Santa Barbara as the No. 1 rivalry in college soccer.{{Cite web |url=http://www.collegesoccernews.com/index_files/Page2764.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=March 5, 2013 |archive-date=November 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105052900/http://www.collegesoccernews.com/index_files/Page2764.htm |url-status=dead }} Since 2007, the rivalry matches have regularly drawn upwards of 8,000 fans.NCAA Soccer, Men's Attendance Records, All-Time Largest Crowds, http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_soccer_RB/2011/attend.pdf

The men's soccer team have an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 1–3 through three appearances and have never advanced past the second round:{{cite web |title=Division I Men's Soccer Championships Records Book |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_soccer_champs_records/2017/D1.pdf |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=July 22, 2018}}

Cal Poly's women's soccer program is coached by Bernardo Silva,{{Cite news |last=Somotun |first=Oluwalanayo |date=December 22, 2024 |title=Cal Poly Women's Soccer announces Bernardo Silva as new head coach |work=Mustang News}} who took over following the retirement of Alex Crozier{{Cite news |last=Blystone |first=Ryan T. |date=December 26, 2024 |title=Bernardo Silva leaves CSUB, hired as Cal Poly women's soccer coach |work=The Bakersfield Californian}} (with a won-loss-draw career record of 325–234–70 overall in 33 seasons, ranking No. 36 in NCAA history for career head coaching victories).{{Cite news |last=Blystone |first=Ryan T. |date=January 2, 2025 |title=CSUB women's soccer provides 2024's brightest college sports moment |work=The Bakersfield Californian}} The Mustangs have an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 1–5 through five appearances, with the win coming over Fresno State in the first round in 1999, 2–1 in Fresno.{{Cite news |last=Giesin |first=Dan |date=November 13, 1999 |title=Broncos, Cardinal Geared for Postseason Run |work=The San Francisco Chronicle |pages=E3}} Cal Poly fell 3–1 at Stanford in the second round.{{cite web |title=Division I Women's Soccer Championships Records Book |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/w_soccer_champs_records/2017/D1.pdf |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=July 25, 2018}}

• Gina Oceguera, WUSA (35th overall selection of the 2000 draft), Bay Area CyberRays{{Cite web|url=http://www.laprensa-sandiego.org/archieve/august31/nanz.htm|title=Untitled5|website=www.laprensa-sandiego.org|access-date=June 7, 2019}}
• Alyssa Giannetti, Arna-Bjornar, Toppserien{{Cite web|url=https://www.soccertoday.com/cal-poly-slo-gk-signs-arna-bjornar/|title=CAL POLY'S GIANNETTI SIGNS WITH NORWEGIAN SOCCER CLUB ARNA-BJØRNAR, SoccerToday|date=February 5, 2016|website=SoccerToday|access-date=June 7, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sanluisobispo.com/sports/college/cal-poly/article113161003.html|title=Former Cal Poly player named Goalkeeper of the Year in Norway|last=Middlecamp|first=David|website=sanluisobispo|access-date=June 7, 2019}}
• Elise Krieghoff, Boston Breakers, NWSL{{Cite web|url=http://www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com/news/breakers-sign-forward-elise-krieghoff|title=Breakers sign forward Elise Krieghoff {{!}} Boston Elite Soccer LLC|website=www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com|access-date=June 7, 2019}}
• Camille Lafaix, FC Girondins de Bordeaux, D1 Arkema (France)

• Sierra Hyland, P: 2017 NPF 4th overall (Chicago Bandits)/2020 Olympian

Combined, all-time in its history, including individual national champions, Cal Poly has produced 523 total All-Americans specific to track & field.{{Cite web |url=https://gopoly.com/sports/track/2018-19/files/CalPolyTFXCHistoryAndRecordBook.pdf|title=Cal Poly|website=Cal Poly|language=en|access-date=June 23, 2019|archive-date=June 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623022318/https://gopoly.com/sports/track/2018-19/files/CalPolyTFXCHistoryAndRecordBook.pdf|url-status=dead}} 73 of these All-America honors have been awarded in Division I (with 28 to men and 45 to women, including AIAW certificates as well as indoor-season accolades), and 450 All-America honors were earned in Division II (248 to men and 202 to women).{{Cite web|url=https://gopoly.com/sports/track/2018-19/files/CalPolyTFXCHistoryAndRecordBook.pdf|title=Cal Poly|website=Cal Poly|language=en|access-date=June 23, 2019|archive-date=June 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623022318/https://gopoly.com/sports/track/2018-19/files/CalPolyTFXCHistoryAndRecordBook.pdf|url-status=dead}}

• Reynaldo Brown, 1968 (U.S.)
• Mathyas Michael, 1968 (Ethiopia)
• Mohinder Gill, 1972 (India)
• Patrice Donnelly, 1976 (U.S.)
• Karin Smith, 1976/1980/1984/1988 (U.S.)
• Bart Williams, 1980 (U.S.)
• Carmelo Rios, 1984 (Puerto Rico)
• Sue McNeal-Rembao, 1992 (U.S.)
• Sharon Hanson-Lowery, 1996 (U.S.)
• Stephanie Brown Trafton, 2004/2008/2012 (U.S.)
• Sharon Day-Monroe, 2008/2012 (U.S.)

The women's indoor volleyball team has been one of the school's best sports programs in recent years and in the 1980s when the team reached No. 1 in the nation in 1985 in the AVCA Coaches Poll.{{cite web | url=https://www.avca.org/polls/di-women/index.html | title=AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll | American Volleyball Coaches Association }} On October 12, 1985, Cal Poly, coached by Mike Wilton, won the NIVT banner at UCLA before a crowd of about 2,500 fans, 3–1. Soon after, in the October 22 Top 25 Poll, the Mustangs were voted as the No. 1 team in the country. Stanford took back over the top spot in the week after.

In 2007, the team captured its second straight Big West title by posting a 15–1 conference record and a 23–8 record overall, and made it to the third round of the playoffs before losing to Stanford in the Sweet 16. The team also went 23–6 in 2006. Cal Poly returned to the AVCA national rankings and NCAA tournament in both 2017 & 2018 upon winning back-to-back Big West Conference championships, and then advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2019.

The team has an NCAA Division I Tournament record of 15–17 through seventeen total appearances.{{Cite web |title=2021 NCAA women's volleyball tournament Statistics and Records |url=https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2022/2/28/2021-ncaa-womens-volleyball-tournament-statistics-and-records.aspx |access-date=June 21, 2022 |website=NCAA.org |language=en |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621000532/https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2022/2/28/2021-ncaa-womens-volleyball-tournament-statistics-and-records.aspx |url-status=dead }}

The wrestling program at Cal Poly competes as a member of the Pac-12 Conference, which is traditionally one of the strongest conferences in college wrestling. Cal Poly has had two wrestlers (Tom Kline & Mark DiGirolamo) win the Division I NCAA Wrestling Championship and 50 wrestlers earn All-American honors at the Division I level.{{Cite web |title=2021 22 Guide Lo Res (PDF) |url=https://gopoly.com/documents/2021/12/18/2021_22_Guide_Lo_Res.pdf |access-date=June 14, 2022 |website=Cal Poly |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Righetti |first=Derek |date=March 21, 2022 |title=Cal Poly wrestling's historic season is a drastic change from recent years |url=https://mustangnews.net/cal-poly-wrestlings-historic-season-is-a-drastic-change-from-recent-years/ |access-date=June 14, 2022 |website=Mustang News |language=en-US}} In addition to the program's success at the NCAA Championships, the program has crowned one champion at the National Collegiate Open Wrestling Championship. On January 30, 2014, Cal Poly hosted Oregon State in a very rare outdoor wrestling match. The match took place in Cal Poly's University Union Plaza following the weekly UU hour. The only other known outdoor matches have been hosted by The Citadel Bulldogs, including one during the 2012–13 season. Arizona State also wrestled Arizona outdoors in the 1970s.{{cite web|url=http://gopoly.com/sports/wrest/2013-14/releases/20131024ujqqek|title=Cal Poly Wrestling Will Host Oregon State Outdoors in January – Cal Poly|date=October 24, 2013|publisher=Gopoly.com|access-date=March 30, 2016}}

The team competes in Mott Athletics Center on campus, opened back in 1960, seating over 3,000 people for home dual meets and tournaments.

Three former Mustang wrestlers after graduation went on to compete in mixed martial arts, more specifically the Ultimate Fighting Championships. The first is Chad Mendes who was a national runner-up at 141 lbs. in 2008, competing for the UFC since 2011 (challenging for a UFC featherweight title in 2012). The most famous wrestling alum is Chuck Liddell, who graduated in 1995 and is now a retired UFC Hall of Fame inductee being a former UFC Light heavyweight champion. More recently, 2020 NWCA All-American 197-pounder Tom Lane made his pro fighting debut in the middleweight classification,{{Cite web |title=Thomas Lane ("Freight Train") {{!}} MMA Fighter Page |url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/310243-thomas-lane |access-date=June 14, 2022 |website=Tapology |language=en}} opening with a win in October 2021.{{Cite web |last=Sherdog.com |title=Thomas |url=https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Thomas-Lane-395131 |access-date=June 14, 2022 |website=Sherdog |language=en}}

Prior to joining the Division I ranks via the Pac-12 (then the Pac-10) in 1987,{{Cite web|url=https://static.pac-12.com/sports/wrestling/pdf/WRESTLING.pdf|title=Pac-12 Record Book}} Cal Poly was dominant in the College Division/Division II, winning the 1966 national championship and seven consecutive NCAA titles from 1968 to 1974.

The men's wrestling team has appeared in the NCAA Division I tournament 49 times, with their highest finish being fifth place in 1969.{{cite web|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/wrestling_champs_records/2018-19/D1.pdf|title=Division I Wrestling Championships Records Book|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|access-date=August 11, 2018}}

The Cal Poly Mustangs have competed in the NCAA tournament or in NCAA Division I Finals Meets on a team-scored basis across 19 active sports (10 men's and 9 women's).{{cite web|title=NCAA Championships Statistics|url=https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2021/2/9/statistics.aspx|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|access-date=April 10, 2022}}

• Baseball (3): 2009, 2013, 2014
• Beach volleyball (4): 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024
• Men's basketball (1): 2014
• Women's basketball (1): 2013
• Men's cross country (7): 1999, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011
• Football (4): 2005, 2008, 2012, 2016
• Men's soccer (3): 1995, 2008, 2015
• Women's soccer (5): 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004
• Softball (2): 2007, 2009
• Men's swimming and diving (3): 1958, 1959, 2014
• Women's golf (4): 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Men's tennis (3): 2011, 2012, 2014
• Women's tennis (3): 2003, 2011, 2024
• Men's indoor track and field (2): 1971, 1973
• Women's indoor track and field (7): 1983, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008
• Men's outdoor track and field (11): 1960, 1961, 1964, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007
• Women's outdoor track and field (13): 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
• Women's volleyball (17): 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2017, 2018, 2019
• Wrestling (50): 1958, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Cal Poly has never won a team national championship at the NCAA Division I level.{{cite web|title=Championships Summary|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/champs_records_book/Overall.pdf|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|access-date=May 20, 2018}}

Cal Poly previously won 35 national championships at the NCAA Division II level.

• Men's cross country (2): 1978, 1979
• Women's cross country (10): 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991
• Football (1): 1980
• Men's outdoor track and field (6): 1968, 1969, 1970, 1979, 1980, 1981
• Women's outdoor track and field (6): 1982, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991
• Men's tennis (2): 1986, 1990
• Wrestling (8): 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974

Below is one national championship that was not bestowed by the NCAA:

• Women's outdoor track and field – Division II (1): 1981 (AIAW)

Cal Poly has had 12 Mustangs win NCAA individual championships at the Division I level.

At the NCAA Division II level, Cal Poly garnered 120 individual championships.

• Anderson Aquatic Center

:The Anderson Aquatic Center is a swimming and diving venue in San Luis Obispo, California. It is home to the Cal Poly Mustangs men's and women's swimming and diving team of the NCAA Division I in the Big West Conference. A new $100,000 scoreboard was added in October 2014, with dual-ability to function as an HD video device.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gopoly.com/genrel/swimscoreboard|title=New Scoreboard in Use at Anderson Aquatic Center for USC Dual|date=October 21, 2014|website=Cal Poly|language=en|access-date=June 23, 2019}}

• Baggett Stadium

:Robin Baggett Stadium is a baseball venue in San Luis Obispo, California. It is home to the Cal Poly Mustangs baseball team of the NCAA Division I in the Big West Conference. The stadium has a capacity of 1,734.{{Cite web |url=http://gopoly.com/fan_zone/facilities/index |title=Facilities – Cal Poly |access-date=November 28, 2019 |archive-date=May 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521003734/http://www.gopoly.com/fan_zone/facilities/index |url-status=dead }}

• Doerr Family Field

:Doerr Family Field is the practice facility for football and soccer. Officially dedicated on February 2, 2018, the $4.8 million facility included a 140-yard synthetic-turf practice field allowing room for football sled work, along with goalposts, lights, a flagpole, a scoreboard and a pair of filming towers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sanluisobispo.com/sports/college/cal-poly/article198202424.html|title=Cal Poly's new $4.8 million football, soccer practice facility a shot of 'instant energy'|last=By|website=sanluisobispo|language=en|access-date=June 23, 2019}} The Cal Poly Corporation, Cal Poly Housing and Associated Students, Inc., collaborated on the project.{{Cite web|url=https://giving.calpoly.edu/story/doerr-family-field-amazing-state-of-the-art-incredible-motivational|title=Doerr Family Field: Amazing, State of the Art, Incredible, Motivational|website=Cal Poly Giving|language=en|access-date=June 23, 2019}}

• Janssen Field

: Bob Janssen Field is the home field for the Cal Poly Mustangs softball team. The venue has a capacity of 800. The softball program debuted a new hitting facility, breaking ground in November 2017,{{Cite web|url=https://www.gopoly.com/sports/sball/2017-18/releases/20180514u2aarl|title=Cal Poly Dedicates Mustang Softball Alumni Hitting Facility|date=May 14, 2018|website=Cal Poly|language=en|access-date=June 23, 2019}} measuring 98 feet by 42 feet (20 feet high), with a dedication taking place May 5, 2018. The $400,000 project yielded two hitting bays on synthetic turf, with retractable netting systems allowing coaches and players to reconfigure to specific needs, a bullpen with three individual pitching rubbers, and a storage shed. In February 2019, a new Daktronics videoboard (25 feet wide by 14.5 feet tall) was added to the field.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gopoly.com/sports/bsb/2018-19/releases/20190213jsly5q|title=New Videoboards Coming to Baggett Stadium, Bob Janssen Field|date=February 13, 2019|website=Cal Poly|language=en|access-date=June 23, 2019}}

• Miller and Capriotti Athletics Complex

:The Miller and Capriotti Athletics Complex is the home track and field venue for the men's and women's Cal Poly Mustangs track and field teams. Inaugurated on March 24, 2018,{{Cite web|url=https://mustangnews.net/cal-poly-track-and-field-unveils-new-steve-miller-john-capriotti-athletics-complex-at-shareslo-invitational/|title=Cal Poly track and field unveils new Steve Miller & John Capriotti Athletics Complex at ShareSLO invitational|last=Carretero|first=Brendan|date=March 27, 2018|website=Mustang News|language=en-US|access-date=June 23, 2019}} the $1.6 million project in association with Cal Poly Corporation, Associated Students, Inc. and Cal Poly Housing was part of the reshaping of the southeast corner of campus from Longview Lane to Grand Avenue adjacent to a new 435,000-square-foot student housing site. Beynon Sports installed a new track surface and a newly renovated field was put into place inside the re-balanced infield oval, with drought-tolerant Bandera Bermuda grass.{{Cite web|url=https://magazine.calpoly.edu/year-in-review-2018/mustang-report-2018/|title=Mustang Report 2018|website=Cal Poly Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=June 23, 2019}}

• Mott Athletics Center

:The Robert A. Mott Athletics Center is a 3,032-seat multi-purpose arena. It is home to the Cal Poly Mustangs men's and women's basketball teams, women's volleyball team and men's collegiate wrestling team.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gopoly.com/insideathletics/mottathleticscenter|title=Robert A. Mott Athletics Center|website=gopoly.com|language=en-gb|access-date=November 28, 2019}}

• Mustang Beach Volleyball Complex

:The Mustang Beach Volleyball Complex is the home venue for the Cal Poly women's beach volleyball team. In 2019, Cal Poly — which had hosted its home contests on nearby Pismo State Beach{{Cite web|url=https://santamariatimes.com/photos-cal-poly-beach-volleyball-takes-to-the-sands-of/collection_77034de5-5b03-5506-86f7-057afc6c7775.html|title=Photos: Cal Poly Beach Volleyball takes to the sands of Pismo Beach for first home matches, this weekend|website=Santa Maria Times|language=en|access-date=June 23, 2019}} — proposed plans to construct five new on-campus beach volleyball courts, implementing an NCAA-regulation facility aspired to be one of the most elaborate in the country, including a videoboard.{{Cite web|url=https://mustangnews.net/one-of-the-best-beach-volleyball-teams-in-the-nation-doesnt-have-their-own-courts-that-may-change-soon/|title=One of the best beach volleyball teams in the nation doesn't have their own courts. That may change soon|last=Nagma|first=Hailey|date=March 5, 2019|website=Mustang News|language=en-US|access-date=June 23, 2019}} The project successfully broke ground in July 2019, with completion in November 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://ksby.com/sports/2019/07/29/cal-poly-breaks-ground-on-state-of-the-art-beach-volleyball-complex-2|title=Cal Poly breaks ground on state-of-the-art beach volleyball complex|date=July 30, 2019|website=KSBY.com|language=en-US|access-date=July 30, 2019}}

• Mustang Tennis Complex

:The Mustang Tennis Complex is the home tennis venue for the men's and women's Cal Poly Mustangs tennis teams. A new scoreboard was added to the seven-court complex in October 2013, part of a $250,000 project also including resurfacing of the courts along with the implementation of windscreens surrounding the facility. The site was dedicated in association with Tennis Connect SLO{{Cite web|url=http://www.tennisconnectslo.com/events-gallery/item/66-cal-poly-tennis-court-opening-ceremonies|title=Cal Poly Tennis Court Opening Ceremonies|website=tennisconnectslo.com|language=en-gb|access-date=June 23, 2019}} on October 5, 2013.

• Mustang Memorial Field Presented by Dignity Health French Hospital Medical Center

:Mustang Memorial Field Presented by Dignity Health French Hospital Medical Center is an 11,075-seat multi-purpose stadium in San Luis Obispo, California. It is home to the Cal Poly Mustangs football team of the Big Sky Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and the Cal Poly Mustangs men's soccer and women's soccer teams.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gopoly.com/insideathletics/spanosstadium|title=Alex G. Spanos Stadium|website=gopoly.com|language=en-gb|access-date=November 28, 2019}} The stadium, originally opened in 1935, received a massive renovation in November 2006.

Cal Poly's football rivalry with UC Davis, a fellow member of the Big Sky Conference, is played for the Golden Horseshoe.

{{Main|Blue–Green Rivalry}}

The main rival of the Cal Poly Mustangs are the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos who compete together in the Blue–Green Rivalry. The Blue-Green Rivalry, which started in November 1921 with a football game, was formalized in 2009. This new format calculates earned points between Cal Poly and UCSB to determine a winner based on their teams' competitive results against each other.{{cite web|url=http://www.bluegreenrivalry.com/landing/index |access-date=January 5, 2016 |url-status=dead |website=bluegreenrivalry.com|title=Blue Green Rivalry|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316232818/http://www.bluegreenrivalry.com/landing/index |archive-date=March 16, 2015 }} Additionally, collegesoccernews.com ranked UC Santa Barbara vs. Cal Poly as the Greatest Rivalry in College Soccer.{{cite web |url=http://www.collegesoccernews.com/index_files/Page2764.htm |title=The Fourteen Greatest Rivalries In College Soccer |website=www.collegesoccernews.com |access-date=January 5, 2016 |archive-date=November 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105052900/http://www.collegesoccernews.com/index_files/Page2764.htm |url-status=dead }}

From 1956 to 1975, Cal Poly and Fresno State traded the Victory Bell trophy, which was donated to Cal Poly in 1952.{{Cite news |last=Buck |first=Claudia |date=October 3, 1975 |title=For Whom The Bell Tolls? Not For Fresno, Says Poly |pages=3 |work=Mustang Daily |url=https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3344&context=studentnewspaper}} The trophy, which weighed about 200 pounds,{{Cite news |date=October 14, 1966 |title=Fresno trip holds thrills |pages=1 |work=El Mustang |url=https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2277&context=studentnewspaper}} was ultimately retired due to repeated theft.{{Cite book |last=Beck |first=Stan |title=College Sports Traditions |publisher=Scarecrow Press |year=2013 |isbn=978-0810891203 |pages=255 |language=English}} The two programs didn't play each other from 1986 through 2009, but brought back matchups in 2010,{{Cite web |date=2010-10-03 |title='Dogs pick up third win, 38-17 |url=https://collegian.csufresno.edu/2010/10/dogs-lead-at-halftime-21-17/ |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=The Collegian |language=en-US |archive-date=June 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627001937/https://collegian.csufresno.edu/2010/10/dogs-lead-at-halftime-21-17/ |url-status=dead }} 2013,{{Cite web |date=2013-09-08 |title=A Burse of Speed: Bulldogs cruise past Cal Poly in 41–25 win |url=https://collegian.csufresno.edu/2013/09/47060/ |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=The Collegian |language=en-US |archive-date=December 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229010553/https://collegian.csufresno.edu/2013/09/47060/ |url-status=dead }} 2021{{Cite web |date=2021-09-12 |title=Fresno State vs. Cal Poly: Bulldogs Take Care Of Business |url=https://mwwire.com/2021/09/12/fresno-state-vs-cal-poly-bulldogs-take-care-of-business/ |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=Mountain West Wire |language=en-US}} and 2022.{{Cite web |title=Cal Poly vs. Fresno State – Game Summary – September 1, 2022 – ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401413224 |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=ESPN |language=en}} In the 46-game all-time series, Fresno State leads 34–10–2.

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Ramses Barden, New York Giants wide receiver
• Bobby Beathard, NFL GM/Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee
• Reynaldo Brown, Olympic Track and Field high jumper
• Stephanie Brown Trafton, 2008 Olympic gold medalist discus thrower
• Kaaron Conwright, USATF sprinter (100-meter dash/200m dash)
• Kevin Correia, MLB pitcher and 2011 All-Star
• Jonathan Dally, Professional football quarterback
• Gary Davis, NFL running back
• Sharon Day-Monroe, Two-time U.S. Olympic track & field heptathlete
• Jimmy Deiparine, Philippines record-setting swimmer
• Nick Dzubnar, Los Angeles Chargers linebacker
• Mohinder Gill, NCAA triple jump champion and Olympic triple jumper (India)
• Victor J. Glover, NASA astronaut
• Chris Gocong, Philadelphia Eagles/Cleveland Browns linebacker
• Mitch Haniger, Seattle Mariners All-Star
• Sharon Hanson, Olympic track and field heptathlete
• Sierra Hyland, Olympic softball pitcher
• Asa Jackson, San Francisco 49ers cornerback
• Damone Johnson, Los Angeles Rams tight end
• Mel Kaufman, NFL linebacker/Washington Redskins Super Bowl champion
• Mike Krukow, MLB pitcher/1986 All-Star/San Francisco Giants broadcaster
• Brooks Lee, 2022 Minnesota Twins 8th overall (first round) draft choice
• Gene Lenz, Olympic swimmer
• Chuck Liddell, former UFC champion/MMA Hall of Famer
• John Madden, Oakland Raiders Super Bowl-winning coach/NFL commentator/Pro Football Hall of Famer
• Chad Mendes, 2008 NCAA second-place wrestler/UFC member
• Steve Miller, Nike director of global sports marketing
• Dana Nafziger, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker
• Bud Norris, MLB pitcher
• Borislav Novachkov, Olympic wrestler
• David Nwaba, NBA guard
• Gina Oceguera, Mexico World Cup soccer player/WUSA pro
• John Orton, California Angels first-round draft pick
• Joe Prunty, NBA coach
• Carmelo Rios, Olympic track and field athlete (Puerto Rico)
• Loren Roberts, pro golfer
• Karin Smith, Olympic javelin thrower
• Ozzie Smith, St. Louis Cardinals shortstop/MLB Hall of Famer
• Alex G. Spanos, San Diego Chargers owner
• Chris Thomas, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
• Ted Tollner, College football coach
• Cecil Turner, Chicago Bears Pro Bowl kick returner
• Drake U'u, Sacramento Kings assistant GM

{{div col end}}

Cal Poly's ESPN Radio affiliate is ESPN 1280 AM The Ticket (KXTK).{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnradio1280.com/|title=1280AM ESPN Radio – The Ticket {{!}} KXTK-AM|website=www.espnradio1280.com|access-date=June 7, 2019}} The station has added 101.7 FM carrying Mustangs broadcasts, with greater reach throughout San Luis Obispo County.{{Cite web|url=https://pasoroblesdailynews.com/espn-radio-adds-frequency-north-county-listeners/85056/|title=ESPN Radio adds frequency for North County listeners| date=July 25, 2018 }} In addition, Chris Sylvester hosts the Mustang Insider podcast with Learfield. As of 2021, Big West-telecast events involving Cal Poly switched to ESPN+,{{Cite web |title=ESPN Reaches Multi-Year, Multi-Platform Rights Agreement with Big West |url=https://bigwest.org/news/2021/7/8/general-espn-reaches-multi-year-multi-platform-rights-agreement-with-big-west.aspx |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=bigwest.org |language=en}} while Big Sky-streamed football games featuring the Mustangs also swung to the network approximate to the same time.{{Cite web |title=Big Sky Conference Reaches Multi-Year, Multi-Platform Rights Agreement With ESPN |url=https://bigskyconf.com/news/2021/6/9/general-big-sky-conference-reaches-multi-year-multi-platform-rights-agreement-with-espn.aspx |access-date=June 20, 2022 |website=bigskyconf.com |language=en}}

On March 7, 2025, Cal Poly announced it was cutting both men's and women's swimming and diving effective immediately due to budget concerns, associated in part with the impact of House v. NCAA.{{Cite web |title=Cal Poly Discontinues Swimming & Diving |url=https://gopoly.com/news/2025/3/7/swimming-and-diving-cal-poly-discontinues-swimming-diving-effective-immediately.aspx |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=Cal Poly |language=en}}

• Jimmy Deiparine went on to set the Filipino national record in the 100-meter breaststroke: 1:02.08 in 2016.{{Cite web |date=June 3, 2016 |title=Jimmy Deiparine Sets New Filipino Record in 100 Breast in Santa Clara |url=https://swimswam.com/jimmy-deiparine-sets-new-filipino-record-100-breast-santa-clara/ |access-date=June 8, 2019 |website=SwimSwam}} In 2017, Deiparine won the silver medal for the 100m breast at the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur.{{Cite web |last=Go |first=Beatrice |date=August 26, 2017 |title=Deiparine and Alkhaldi close SEAG 2017 swimming with two more medals |url=http://www.rappler.com//sports/specials/sea-games/180170-deiparine-alkhaldi-two-medals-southeast-asian-games-swimming |access-date=June 8, 2019 |website=Rappler}} Also in 2017, Deiparine swam at the FINA World Championships in Budapest, breaking his own 50m breast Philippine national record, taking 36th place out of 81 swimmers, via 28.13 seconds.{{Cite web |last=kotsisko |date=July 25, 2017 |title=James Deiparine resets national swim record in Budapest Worlds |url=http://www.pinoyswimming.com/2017/07/25/james-deiparine-resets-national-swim-record-budapest-worlds/ |access-date=June 8, 2019 |website=PinoySwimming dot Com}}

• Gene Lenz competed in the 1960 Olympics,{{Cite web |title=Eugene LENZ {{!}} Results {{!}} FINA Official |url=https://www.fina.org/athletes/1157744/www.fina.org/athletes/1157744/eugene-lenz |access-date=June 14, 2022 |website=FINA – Fédération Internationale De Natation |language=en}} earning seventh place in the 400m freestyle final in Rome, with a time of 4:26.8.
• Former Mustang distance swimmer Taylor Spivey took 10th place in the individual women's triathlon at the 2024 Paris Games, compiling a time of 1:57:11, before winning a silver medal in the mixed relay (combining with her teammates for a time of 1:25.40).{{Cite news |last=Reid |first=Scott M. |date=July 31, 2024 |title=Taylor Spivey 10th in Olympic triathlon despite rough swim |work=L.A. Daily News}}{{Cite news |last=Birkett |first=Dave |date=August 5, 2024 |title=US conquers murky Siene for silver in mixed triathlon relay |work=USA Today}}

Cal Poly suspended its intercollegiate gymnastics team during the fall of 1990.{{Cite news |last=Magill |first=Elizabeth |date=May 4, 1992 |title=Suspended, maybe forgotten |work=Mustang Daily |pages=5}}

The Mustangs play college rugby in the California conference of Division 1-A. The Mustangs are often ranked in the Top 25 nationwide,Rugby Mag, All Divisions College Top January 25, 28, 2013, presented by Selective Service, January 28, 2013, {{cite web |url=http://www.rugbymag.com/cpl/6901-all-divisions-college-top-25-jan-28-2013-presented-by-selective-service-.html |title=All Divisions College Top 25 Jan. 28, 2013, presented by Selective Service |access-date=February 3, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629194837/http://rugbymag.com/cpl/6901-all-divisions-college-top-25-jan-28-2013-presented-by-selective-service-.html |archive-date=June 29, 2013 }} and their rugby sevens team has been ranked as high as 7th.Rugby Mag, Men College 7s Rankings, November 13, 2012, {{cite web |url=http://www.rugbymag.com/news/colleges/collegiate-sevens/6418-men-college-7s-rankings-nov-13-2012-p.html |title=Men College 7s Rankings Nov 13, 2012 – P |access-date=January 30, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122045709/http://rugbymag.com/news/colleges/collegiate-sevens/6418-men-college-7s-rankings-nov-13-2012-p.html |archive-date=January 22, 2013 }} The Mustangs finished 8th in the nation at the 2011 USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships, and 12th at the 2012 competition.Rugby Mag, Day 2 Box Scores – Men's College 7s, December 1, 2012, {{cite web |url=http://www.rugbymag.com/news/colleges/collegiate-sevens/6572-day-2-box-scores-mens-college-7s.html |title=Day 2 Box Scores – Men's College 7s |access-date=January 30, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122045740/http://rugbymag.com/news/colleges/collegiate-sevens/6572-day-2-box-scores-mens-college-7s.html |archive-date=January 22, 2013 }}

• Co-ed cycling (1): 1992 (USA Cycling)
• Men's rodeo (3): 1970, 1971, 1973 (NIRA)
• Women's rodeo (1): 1989 (NIRA)
• Co-ed Triathlon (1): 1995 (USA Triathlon)

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