The College was founded in 1846 in Grinnell, Iowa. Grinnell’s long and proud tradition in athletics can be traced back to just after the Civil War. In 1868, Grinnell won the first intercollegiate baseball contest to be played in the state, defeating the University of Iowa.
Grinnell 1931 Football Photo
Grinnell’s football program started in 1889, when the Pioneers played the University of Iowa. The game was held on November 16, 1889 in Grinnell, and was the first game of intercollegiate football west of the Mississippi River. A stone marker still stands in Grinnell Field marking the event.
Grinnell Men’s Basketball is well known for it’s innovative team’s style of playing basketball, also known as the Grinnell System over the past twenty-five years. Coach Arseneaults “system” incorporated a continual full-court press, a fast-paced offense, an emphasis on offensive rebounding, a barrage of three-point shots and substitutions of five players at a time every 35 to 40 seconds.
The biggest change came with the advent of Title IX, which finally allowed women an equal footing in many facets including athletics. In December 1973, Grinnell’s faculty voted to begin a program of intercollegiate athletics for women.