Athletics

The University of Texas offers a wide variety of varsity and intramural sports programs. As of 2015, the university's athletics program ranked ninth in the nation among Division I schools according to the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.^[125] Due to the breadth of sports offered and the quality of the programs, Texas was selected as "America's Best Sports College" in a 2002 analysis by Sports Illustrated.^[126] Texas was also listed as the number one Collegiate Licensing Company client for the second consecutive year in regards to the amount of annual trademark royalties received from fan merchandise sales. But this ranking is based only on clients of the Collegiate Licensing Company, which does not handle licensing for approximately three-dozen large schools including Ohio State, USC, and UCLA.^[127][128]

Varsity sports

Texas Longhorns football playing against Oklahoma in the 2007 Red River Rivalry

The university's men's and women's athletics teams are nicknamed the Longhorns. A charter member of the Southwest Conference until it dissolved in 1996, Texas now competes in the Big 12 Conference of the NCAA's Division I-FBS. Texas has won 50 total national championships,^[129] 42 of which are NCAA national championships.^[130]
The University of Texas has traditionally been considered a college football powerhouse.^{[131][132][133]} Through the 2015 season, the Longhorns were ranked seventh in the all-time list for winning percentage and third all time for total wins.^[134] The team experienced its greatest success under coach Darrell Royal, winning three national championships in 1963, 1969, and 1970. It won a fourth title under head coach Mack Brown in 2005 after a 41–38 victory over previously undefeated Southern California in the 2006 Rose Bowl.
In recent years, the men's basketball team has gained prominence, advancing to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in 2002 and 2004, the Elite Eight in 2006 and 2008, and the Final Four in 2003.
The University's baseball team is one of the nation's best. It has made more trips to the College World Series (35) than any other school, and it posted wins in 1949, 1950, 1975, 1983, 2002, and 2005.^[135]
Additionally, the university's highly successful men's and women's swimming and diving teams lay claim to sixteen NCAA Division I titles.^[136] The swim team was first developed under Coach Tex Robertson.^[137] In particular, the men's team is led by Eddie Reese, who served as the head men's coach at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, the 2004 Games in Athens and the 2008 Games in Beijing.