Basketball

The 1952 men's team. Photo credit: Trinity Ivy

Basketball was first introduced to Trinity in 1894 when the men won their first game in December against Hartford Public High School at the local YMCA. Trinity's team continued to play teams from the YMCA until 1897 when they began to compete with Yale and Wesleyan. Official intercollegiate play began in 1905. During World War I, competition halted, but resumed in 1919; the Bantam men saw their first winning season in 1920-21.

The 1977 women's team mid-game. Photo credit: The Ivy

NCAA Division III National Champion Ryan Bak '03 at the Penn Relays. Photo credit: Runnerspace

The men's team has played on the Stan Ogrodnik court at Oosting Gymnasium, named for two Trinity coaches, since it opened in 1969. Raymond Oosting coached the men's team from 1924 to 1957. Ogrodnik coached the men's team from 1981 to 2008 and, to this day, is the winningest men's basketball coach in Trinity history.

The men's team has boasted three ECAC championships, one NCAA Final Four, and one NESCAC championship.

The women's basketball team began official competition in 1975, achieving a winning record for their first two seasons. They have one ECAC championship and three NCAA tournament appearances.

In 1999, the Trinity Tripod came under fire for its lack of coverage of the women's team in favor of the men's team in a letter to the editor from a junior.