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Greek life began more than 140 years ago when Delta Tau Delta, the campuses’ first fraternity, was established in 1883. The first sorority, Pi Beta Phi, was established a year later in 1884. As fraternities and sororities looked to expand west, �鶹��Ѱ�����presented the perfect opportunity, allowing Greek life in Boulder to grow exponentially. By 1930, more than 30 national fraternities and sororities had granted charters to chapters at CU, and many more local chapters existed without national recognition. In the 1970s, cultural shifts and low campus involvement signalled the end of Greek life in Boulder, but they sprung back and experienced a boom in the 1980s and 1990s. Currently, Greek life at Boulder is stronger than ever, with more than 8,000 students involved across four governing councils.

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Photo: Pi Beta Theta, 1884. �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

In the 1880s, students called upon the university to organize an official baseball team. Early eligibility rules were loose: preparatory students could play alongside university students, and teams could even recruit outsiders with no connection to their schools. With few collegiate opponents, �鶹��Ѱ�����initially competed against high school, town and club teams, including its early rival Denver High School. On April 18, 1890, the university played its first intercollegiate event when it faced Colorado School of Mines. Edwin J. Ingram hit a home run as �鶹��Ѱ�����built a 4–1 lead, then survived the Miners’ comeback to win 5–4. Three weeks later, �鶹��Ѱ�����went on to win the rematch 10–5. As the University of Denver and Colorado College formed teams of their own, baseball became a leading intercollegiate sport in Colorado.

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Photo: 1890s baseball team. �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

A year after �鶹��Ѱ�����varsity football formed in 1890, musically inclined students and faculty organized a 25-member volunteer band in 1891 to rally the new fans. The Board of Regents recognized the band in 1909 and provided $600 for uniforms and music. Over time, “Glory Colorado” “Go Colorado,” and “Fight CU” became the marching band’s iconic three-song fight sequence. During World War II, a women’s band kept performances alive as male enrollment declined, and in 1966 Adria Easton became the first woman to join the previously all-male marching band. In the Coach Prime era, the band has added his theme song, “Halftime,” to its game-day repertoire. Its motto, “Tradition, Heartbeat, Spirit and Pride,” reflects the band’s continued role in preserving �鶹��Ѱ�����culture and energizing the playing field.

Source: Colorado Music Magazine
Photo: 1909 band. �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

�鶹��Ѱ�����football had a rocky start. In 1890, the program began when the new soccer team switched sports due to a lack of opponents, leaving 9 of the 11 players with no football experience. This rag-tag group aged 16-29 consisted of preparatory students, undergraduates, future doctors and several players from the baseball team. Without a coach, captain John Nixon studied diagrams, rules and plays found in magazines. The season results were painful: about half of the team became injured during their first game, they experienced what still stands as the university’s worst loss (103–0 to Colorado School of Mines) and ended with a winless season (still CU’s only). Things changed Oct. 22, 1892, when the Buffs beat the University of Denver 26–0 for their first victory over another college. �鶹��Ѱ�����won the rematch and finished its first winning season 3–2 — a remarkable turnaround for the team player Edwin Ingram described as knowing “no more about football than a jackrabbit” two years earlier.

Source: �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center
Photo: The first �鶹��Ѱ�����football team with then-President Hale in the center, 1890. �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

Homecoming is a long-standing tradition for American educational institutions, primarily celebrated to foster school spirit for new and returning students and welcome back alumni and the broader university community. �鶹��Ѱ�����has been celebrating its tradition since 1914, only having three years without the celebration throughout the over 100 year history. Today, Homecoming reaches approximately 50,000 people annually during the football game at Folsom Field. Festivities often include parades, pep rallies, themed spirit weeks, the selection of a Homecoming court and performances that contribute to a welcome and festive atmosphere. While some of the homecoming traditions have remained strong since the beginning, others ended, evolved or may only just be beginning, reflecting changing priorities within the university and Boulder at large.

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Photo: Ralphie for President Homecoming float. �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

Freshman pitcher Bob McGraw took the mound on May 22, 1914, in the season finale against Colorado College. The 20 out of 31 batters he struck out still stands as a Colorado intercollegiate record and was the third-best college game ever thrown at the time. His pitching, not to mention his two for four batting with a home run, easily cinched the conference title 7-1 for CU. McGraw had been scouted by clubs since his high school days, and went on to be CU’s first player to hit the major leagues, playing for the Yankees, Red Socks, Cardinals, Robins and Phillies.

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Photo: Bob McGraw. 1916 Coloradoan yearbook, �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

The George Norlin Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Alumni Association. Each year, a committee of alumni and faculty selects graduates who have demonstrated a career of professional excellence and a devotion to bettering their community and society at large. The award was established in 1930 during President Norlin’s term and continues today. It was historically presented at the Alumni Day banquet and is now given at the Alumni Association Awards Ceremony, which typically occurs during Alumni Weekend. Just a few of the recipients include Supreme Court Justice Wiley Rutledge (1944), Daily Camera owner A.A. Paddock (1961), astronaut Vance Brand (1991) and jazz pianist Dave Grusin (2016).

Source: Alumni Association
Photo: 1933 Norlin Award medal awarded to Ralph Carr. �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

Holding public office comes with the expectations of creating public policies, passing laws, leading government programs and representing voters at local, state or national levels. In 1926, �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder alumni began campaigning for the opportunity of taking on various civic responsibilities. Nine of these alumni had come out victorious during the primaries and began the official contest, hoping to be elected on Nov. 2. Three of the alumni ran for positions in state offices, four ran for positions in state legislature and two faced off against each other for positions on the �鶹��Ѱ�����Board of Regents. Of the nine alumni in the elections, five went on to win their races.

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Photo: 1926 election candidates. �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

First opened for the 1924 football season, the construction of Folsom Field marked the start of a new era for Colorado Football and student life. For more than 20 years, CU’s football program had practiced on Gamble Field, but growing game attendance required that a new stadium be built. When the field was constructed, it had a capacity of around 26,000 people and was originally called Colorado Stadium. In 1944, the name was changed to Folsom Field to honor CU’s legendary coach, Fred Folsom, who died that year. The stadium has nearly doubled its original capacity, and has been a popular venue for events such as commencement or concerts organized by Program Council including performances by The Rolling Stones, The Grateful Dead and Stevie Nicks.

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Photo: Aerial photo of Colorado Stadium (now Folsom Field) on Homecoming day, 1924. Colorado Alumnus magazine, �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

�鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Hillel has been a pluralistic home for Jewish students for decades, sporting the slogan “your Jewish herd away from home.” This campus community began in the 1950s as part of Hillel of Colorado and is now one of more than 800 independent Hillels serving students on campuses in the United States and around the world. Hillel of Colorado continues to serve Jewish students at the University of Denver, Colorado State University and other Colorado schools. However, in 2019, �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Hillel became its own entity under executive director Seth Reder, further seeking to provide a thriving Jewish space for students in Boulder. Today it offers events for Jewish students and the entire campus community, from Shabbat dinners and learning fellowships to providing a warm and inviting study space.

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Photo: BuffBoard Members in front of the Hillel Sign. Photo by Ari Snyder, �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Hillel photographic archive.

For the first half of its existence, the university relied on the skills of photographers in the Boulder community such as Charles Snow or Ed Tangen. J. Raymond Brackett, a professor of English and comparative literature was another early contributor, and his glass plate negatives beginning in 1884 provide some of the earliest images of CU. In 1947, Floyd Walters founded the Photographic Department, the first official apparatus for university photography and the ancestor of today’s public relations activities, now known as the Strategic Relations and Communications department. Today, CU’s exceptional photographers add photos of sports, graduations, student events, celebrations and more to the university’s photographic history.

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Photo: Autumn colors paint the campus at �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder. Photo by Casey A. Cass, University of Colorado.

For basketball star Burdette “Burdie” Haldorson, success came in pairs. As a sophomore, he achieved the university’s first double-double, scoring 31 points and 31 rebounds in a Big Seven game against Oklahoma in 1952. This still stands as the most rebounds by a Buff in a single game. However, his biggest achievement was on an international stage. Burdie was selected for the U.S. team at the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games, netting the country a pair of gold medals on 8-0 records. His skills bought him tickets into Hall of Fames at both the state and national levels. His jersey, number 22, is one of only two retired in Buffs basketball history.

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Photo: Burdette Haldorson (22) watches a teammate take a shot during a game. �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

Beginning in the 1950s, football and basketball recruited and integrated Black players, but these athletes continued to face segregation beyond Boulder. Before the 1957 Orange Bowl, Clemson objected to playing Colorado if Frank Clarke and John Wooten participated. Coach Dal Ward and the team refused to exclude them, and Colorado defeated Clemson 27–21. Five years later, team captain Joe Romig and Charlie McBride similarly declared �鶹��Ѱ�����would not attend the Orange Bowl unless Black and white players could share a hotel. Despite efforts for integration, other forms of discrimination were persistent within �鶹��Ѱ�����athletics. In 1968, Black football players protested, alleging that coaches prohibited interracial dating among other things. A university committee of staff and students concluded that discrimination was present and recommended reforms, including diversifying the athletic staff. In 1969, Bill Harris became the football program’s first Black special assistant coach, marking another step toward integration.

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Photo: �鶹��Ѱ�����Football line coach Marshall Wells with �鶹��Ѱ�����guards Bill Mondt (66), John Wooten (69) and Sherman Pruitt (67). �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

�鶹��Ѱ�����secured its first national title in 1959 on the slopes of Winter Park. The ski team, led by 26-year-old coach Bob Beattie, beat Denver University by just 5.8 points, and brought home the NCAA skiing title. This first national title in any sport for �鶹��Ѱ�����began a legacy, and now �鶹��Ѱ�����has 21 national skiing titles. Two skiers, Frank Brown and John Dendahl, represented the U.S. at the 1960 Winter Olympics. The nine men became the first team entry in the �鶹��Ѱ�����Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006, with Coach Beattie also previously inducted into the Colorado Sports and U.S. National Ski Hall of Fames.

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Photo:  1959 ski team. Coloradan yearbook, �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

The Colorado Alumni River Rat Association was the passion project in the early 1970s of Peggy Tague, associate alumni director and one of the original River Rats. In 1972, she fondly recounted being baptized by the Green River when she fell out of the boat during one of the trips. Taking part in the annual event and earning the River Rat name was a source of pride for the lucky alumni able to get off the waitlist. Trips were planned during the months of June and July and accommodated up to 50 people each on the Yampa, Green and Colorado Rivers. River Rats often came away from trips with a stronger sense of community with each other and their rafting guides, providing entertainment on the last night of the trips with quickly written poems, original songs and dances.

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Photo: Window decal. Drawn by Anne Arnold, Heritage Center.

One of CU’s most legendary traditions, the running of Ralphie, would not be possible without the hard work of CU’s only “undefeated” D1 athletes, the Ralphie Handlers. While these athletes are known for the pregame run, the bulk of their responsibilities happen off the football field. Ralphie Handlers are the primary caretakers for the buffalo and spend around 20-30 hours per week training and caring for Ralphie throughout both the football season and the offseason. Originally, the handlers were known as “the men who run with Ralphie,” then “Ralphie Runners,” but in the late 1980s, the program adopted its current “Ralphie Handler” name as responsibilities changed to focus on Buffalo care. Remember to cheer on the handlers next time you see Ralphie do her iconic right-hand turn “horseshoe” run at Folsom Field and all interested students with a fall remaining prior to graduation are eligible to attend!

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Photo: Running with Ralphie, November 2025. Ralphie Handlers.

While the women’s basketball team was originally started in 1885, it did not become a varsity sport until 1975. Nicknamed the Lady Buffs, the team achieved a historic milestone on Dec. 16, 1980, when they were ranked by the Associated Press for the first time. This followed an unprecedented 134-33 win against Fort Carson. This game marked the most points scored in both Lady Buff history and women’s athletic history in Colorado, spearheaded by Julie Abendroth with 21 points and with 22 points. 

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Photo: 1980-1981 women’s basketball team. �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

Ceal Barry had a 37-year career with �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder, bringing years of success overseeing �鶹��Ѱ�����athletics and coaching the women’s basketball team. She joined �鶹��Ѱ�����in 1983 and remained the head coach until 2005. During her tenure, the women’s basketball team advanced to 12 NCAA tournaments, six Sweet Sixteens and three Elite Eights. Her success also led to the creation of several female sports programs at CU, including soccer, volleyball and golf. Following her retirement from coaching in 2005, she became the associate athletic director. Barry officially retired in July 2020 after spending 43 years in college sports. In early 2026, the “Ceal Barry Plaza” was built as a permanent installation at the �鶹��Ѱ�����Events Center in celebration of the university’s 150th anniversary.

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Photo: Ceal Barry returns to Denver International Airport. Photo by Cliff Grassmick, Daily Camera. �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

Dr. Vera Komarkova was born in former Czechoslovakia in 1942. When the soviets invaded, she immigrated to the United States, where she completed her Ph.D. at �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder in 1976 in plant ecology, with a focus on alpine vegetation. Komarkova was a passionate mountaineer, trekking thousands of miles and summiting many high peaks during her lifetime. Her most famous adventure was the in 1978. It was the first majority-female organized group to attempt Annapurna, the 10th tallest mountain in the world, and one of the deadliest due to technical climbing and frequent avalanches. Komarkova and Irene Beardsley (now Miller) were the first women to summit this formidable peak. Ever the scientist, she doggedly collected plant samples during the ascent.

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Photo: Vera Komarkova pressing plants. University of Oklahoma.

In 1994, made history as the first Buff to receive the Heisman Trophy. In that season, he became the fourth player in Football Bowl Subdivision history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards and scored 24 touchdowns, leading �鶹��Ѱ�����to an 11-1 record. In 2024, Travis Hunter became the second Buff to receive the Heisman Trophy. He led the conference in receptions, defended passes and received touchdowns. He became the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Buffs have retired both Rashaan’s number 19 and Travis’s number 12 jerseys.

Source: Coloradan Magazine
Photo: Photos by Heisman Trophy Trust.

On Sep. 24, 1994, the Buffaloes appeared finished, trailing the Wolverines 26–14 with less than 2:30 remaining. Then the comeback began. Quarterback Kordell Stewart completed four passes and ran 21 yards before Rashaan Salaam scored, cutting the lead to 26–21. After the defense forced another Michigan punt, Colorado regained possession. With only six seconds left, Stewart evaded a three-man rush and launched a 64-yard Hail Mary. The play, called “Rocket Left,” was one the Buffs practiced every Thursday but had failed earlier when it was intercepted in the first half. This time, three receivers ran deep left, Blake Anderson tipped the ball at the goal line, and Michael Westbrook dove for the walk-off touchdown. The pass gave Colorado a 27–26 victory, stunning over 100,000 Michigan fans. Over 30 years later, the play is still fondly remembered as the “Miracle at Michigan.”

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Photo: Kordell Stewart, 1993. Photo by Ed Kosmicki, �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

Mark Scrutton was one of the first dominant long distance runners in the university’s history, spending four seasons at �鶹��Ѱ�����between 1979-1983. He earned a total of 12 letters in cross country, indoor and outdoor track combined. On Nov. 22, 1982, Mark Scrutton was the first Colorado Buffalo to become the individual NCAA cross-country champion, running the 10-kilometer course in 30:12.6. He took the lead 300 yards from the finish and edged Zakarie Barie by two seconds for the win.

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Photo: Mark Scrutton during a race, November 1982. Photo by Bobette Brecker, �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder Heritage Center.

After losing his job in the outdoor program at CU, Brian Clarke gained the motivation to found the in 2000 along with Doug Dickens. The Alpine Club remains a tight-knit and ambitious group passionate about climbing. These alpinists also organize many trips across the American West to locations such as Indian Creek, Vedauwoo, Joe's Valley and Wild Iris. The club works to maintain a balance between serious climbing and partying, mixing outdoor exploration with strong traditions and community building. As such, memorable alumni include Joe Mills, who ascended the hardest climbing route on Longs Peak, Catalina Shirley, one of the best female ice climbers in the world, and Norwegian international student Carl Christian, who started our longstanding tradition of climbing in animal onesies.

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Photo: Two club members climbing in Vedauwoo, WY. Photo by Nathaniel Francis, September 2025.

Dr. Peyton Thomas is an assistant professor in environmental studies at �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder and a faculty fellow with INSTAAR. She focuses on how environmental changes influence the physical health of fish species. Her recent research delves into topics like adaptation to climate change, physiological mechanisms of resilience, environmental DNA, community-led conservation and the socio-economic connections between people and aquatic systems. Outside of her research, Peyton also excels in competitive trail running and has been sponsored by Patagonia since 2021. She was invited to compete in both the 2020 and 2024 Olympic trials for the women’s marathon. Peyton is deeply involved in social justice and environmental awareness. Through her platform as both an athlete and scientist, she helped create the Equitable Action Run Toward Health, which works to highlight the impacts on air-quality and Black communities as a result of the wood pellet industry.

Source: College of Arts and Sciences Magazine
Photo: Peyton Thomas at a microscope.

Each fall, hundreds of �鶹��Ѱ�����students gather to shed their clothes and run for charity in the Nearly Naked Mile. This unique tradition dates back to 2005 and is organized annually by The Herd, CU’s student alumni group. Before the race, students strip down to their undergarments and donate the clothes they arrived in. Participants can win prizes for the amount of clothing they discard, their performance in the run, or even through the “minimalist” costume contest. Then the Buffs set off on a one-mile loop directly through campus, sometimes even braving the snow. Donations from the Nearly Naked Mile traditionally benefit A Precious Child, a local nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged and displaced children, as well as other organizations working to support unhoused and impoverished individuals.

Source: The Herd
Photo: Participants of the Nearly Naked Mile run through campus. �鶹��Ѱ�����.

Derrick White, a current guard on the Boston Celtics, attended �鶹��Ѱ�����in 2015-17 as a senior on the �鶹��Ѱ�����basketball team. Hailing from Parker, Colorado, he first attended the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and played for their Division II team until his lone season for the Colorado Buffaloes where he broke away with an average of 18.1 points, earning First-Team All-Pac-12 and All-Defensive Honors. His success launched him into the NBA draft in 2017 which laid the foundation for his championship breakthrough with Boston in 2024 and then an Olympic gold medal in Paris for Team USA. In June, he was named �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder’s first president of basketball strategy for men’s basketball and he committed $2 million to the program.

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Photo: Derrick White. Photo by Joel Broida.