Introducing the Big West Teams: Cal State University, Fullerton

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to introduce the current members of the Big West conference.  This introduction will focus on the school, the fans, the athletics and other random trivial facts.  Hopefully, this will be an educational and fun introduction.  Of course, if you the alumni/fan of that team would like to correct me, feel free to do so in the comment section below or shoot me an email.
With that, allow me to introduce (in alphabetical order) the next member of the current Big West Conference: Cal State Fullerton Titans.

California State University, Fullerton
Location: Fullerton, California
Established: 1957
Students: 36,156 (as of Fall 2011)
Colors: Navy Blue, Orange and White
Mascot: Tuffy the Titan
Famous Alumni (my choice): Tracy Caldwell (NASA Astronaut)

Cal State Fullerton sits in the north part of Orange County.  It was originally named Orange County State College when it opened in 1959, and did not officially become "California State University, Fullerton" until 1972.

 CSU Fullerton (blue) in relative distance from the Happiest Place on Earth (Pink).

Academically, CSU Fullerton is the only school in California to offer a M.S. in Nursing that focuses on school nursing.  It also has the largest accredited business school in California.  Easily the most distinguishable building on campus is the wacky, futuristic architecture of the Pollack Library.  This building features a blend of futuristic styles that were common in the 1960's to almost "oppose" the Googie style that was popular during that era (see the Las Vegas sign, the Space Needle, The Theme Building at LAX, etc...).

The Titans are known athletically for the baseball team, which most recently won a national championship in 2004.  They still hold NCAA football records (unfortunately) for most fumbles in one season (73) and most fumbles lost (41), both set in 1992 (they discontinued football after this season).  Despite that fact, there is still a strong movement in the student population to restart the program.  Their main rivals are Long Beach State and UC Irvine, although the former is the more fierce rivalry.  



Here are some more fun facts about CSU Fullerton:

• Current Spurs player Bruce Bowen played for the Titans from 1989-1993
• Film director James Cameron attended Fullerton in the 70's where he studied physics
• In on May 11, 1962, the campus held "The First Intercollegiate Elephant Race in Human History," which featured 15 elephants rented from wild animal farms.  The elephant "Captain Hook" and it's rider Remesh Mehra won the competition as 10,000+ people attended "Dumbo Downs" where the student union now stands.  Around this time, Tuffy the Titan (in animations) was adopted as the university mascot.

 Now you know a little about the Titans!

Next week: Cal State Northridge