North Dakota Fighting Hawks

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University of North Dakota athletics
Logo
UniversityUniversity of North Dakota
ConferenceBig Sky Conference (most sports)
WAC (baseball, men's and women's swimming & diving)
NCHC (men's ice hockey)
WCHA (women's ice hockey)
NCAADivision I
Athletic directorBrian Faison
LocationGrand Forks, ND
Varsity teams21
Football stadiumAlerus Center
Basketball arenaBetty Engelstad Sioux Center
Ice hockey arenaRalph Engelstad Arena
Baseball stadiumHarold Kraft Memorial Field
MascotNorris
NicknameNodaks, Fighting Sioux (retired)
Fight songFight On Sioux
It's For You, North Dakota U
Stand Up and Cheer
ColorsGreen and White[1]
   
Websitewww.undsports.com

The University of North Dakota athletics program fields the varsity athletic teams of the University of North Dakota (UND), which is located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Originally in the Division II North Central Conference, UND began transitioning to NCAA's Division I in 2008 with the football program participating in Division I's Football Championship Subdivision. North Dakota is a member of the Big Sky Conference for football and most other sports, the Western Athletic Conference for baseball and men's and women's swimming & diving, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference for men's hockey, and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for women's ice hockey.

Up to 82,000 eligible voters, including students, alumni, university faculty and staff, donors and season-ticket holders, were able to cast online ballots October 19–23, 2015 to select the new UND nickname. The choices, selected by a committee from among hundreds of submitted names, are: Fighting Hawks, Nodaks, North Stars, Roughriders, and Sundogs. If one name does not get a majority vote, a run-off will be held between the two top choices. Results revealed that there were three finalists: Nodaks, Roughriders, and Fighting Hawks, with the latter topping the first vote, yet it did not receive the required majority.[2][3] Another run-off vote will be needed to determine the winner, to be announced at a later date.

Varsity sports

Ice hockey (men's)

Main article: University of North Dakota men's ice hockey

Having won seven national championships, the men's hockey team is easily the most recognized of UND teams. They play in the $100+ million Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Ice hockey (women's)

Main article: University of North Dakota women's ice hockey

The women's ice hockey team is a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) and competes in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I women ice hockey. The current women's head coach is Brian Idalski in his sixth season.

Football

Main article: University of North Dakota football

The men's football home games are held in the Alerus Center.

Basketball

Main article: University of North Dakota men's basketball
Main article: University of North Dakota women's basketball

Volleyball

Main article: University of North Dakota volleyball

Athletics hall of fame

Main article: University of North Dakota Letterwinners Hall of Fame

The Letterwinners Hall of Fame recognizes the efforts and achievements of former UND student-athletes, coaches, and other supporters of UND athletics. Inductees are selected by the UND Letterwinners Association and representatives of the UND athletic department. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony, sponsored by the UND Letterwinners Association, is held each fall in conjunction with a football game. The Hall of Fame is located on the upper concourse at the south end of the Ralph Engelstad Arena.[4]

2012 Class[5]

Nickname

Origin

UND's former athletic logo, revealed in 1999, a Native American figure, was designed by Bennett Brien, a local artist and UND graduate of Ojibwa ethnicity. UND's nickname was originally The Flickertails, but was unofficially changed to "The Sioux" in 1930 ("Fighting" was added later circa 1999). Guest editorials that appeared at that time in the UND student newspaper, the Dakota Student, noted that (1) "Sioux are a good exterminating agent for Bison" (the mascot of the nearby North Dakota State University team); (2) "They are warlike, of fine physique and bearing"; and (3) "The word Sioux is easily rhymed for yells and songs."[6]

Controversy

The controversial Sioux-head logo, retired at the beginning of 2012.

Critics of the name called it a racist stereotype, while supporters maintained that it was inoffensive and a source of pride. Over the years, the debate proved to be a divisive issue at the University. The movement to keep the nickname and logo was led by UND alumni, sports fans, and athletic players and officials, as well as (for a time) the university administration. The campaign to change the nickname and logo was led by several Native American tribes and student organizations, as well as many UND faculty members.

In 1999, a bill was introduced in the North Dakota House of Representatives to eliminate the nickname, but the bill died in committee.[7] In 2000, twenty-one Native American-related programs, departments, and organizations at UND signed a statement opposing the continued use of the nickname and logo, saying that it did not honor them or their culture.[8]

Former Fighting Sioux hockey player and wealthy alumnus Ralph Engelstad donated $100 million for the construction of the Ralph Engelstad Arena. This is one of the largest philanthropic donations ever made to a public institution of higher learning. One of Engelstad's conditions for his donation was that the University keep the Fighting Sioux name indefinitely.[9] Engelstad placed thousands of Fighting Sioux logos in numerous places throughout the arena to make physical removal of the logo very costly if attempted.[10] The arena opened in 2001.

Retirement of "Fighting Sioux"

The debate reignited in 2005, following a decision by the NCAA to sanction schools with tribal logos and/or nicknames, including UND, that the NCAA deemed to be "hostile and abusive." The sanctions would not allow schools like UND to use their names or logos in post-season play and those schools would not be able to host post-season championships. After an unsuccessful appeal to reverse the sanctions, UND started to pursue their legal options.[11] On June 15, 2006, after consulting with North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, the Board of Higher Education elected 8-0 to authorize Stenehjem to sue the NCAA for penalizing the UND over its Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.[12] In November 2006, UND was granted a preliminary injunction to prevent the NCAA from enforcing the rule. On October 26, 2007, a settlement between UND and the NCAA was reached preventing the case from going to trial.[13] The settlement gave UND three years to gain support from the state's Sioux tribes to continue to use the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.[14] If that support was not granted at the end of the three years, UND agreed to retire the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, remove most of the existing Fighting Sioux imagery in campus facilities, and pick a new nickname and logo to represent UND's athletic teams.

On May 14, 2009, the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education approved a motion directing UND to retire “Fighting Sioux” nickname and logo, effective October 1, 2009, with full retirement to be completed no later than August 1, 2010. This directive was to be suspended, if, prior to October 1, 2009, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and the Spirit Lake Sioux tribe gave namesake approval consistent with the terms of the Settlement Agreement. After extending the deadline for meeting this condition once, to November 30, 2009, the Board on April 8, 2010, unconditionally ordered UND to retire the Fighting Sioux nickname at the end of the 2010–11 season.[15]

The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education announced on April 8, 2010, that the Fighting Sioux nickname would be retired after the 2010–2011 athletic season.[16] The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education voted unanimously on Monday, May 10, to extend the deadline for the University of North Dakota to retire its nickname and logo to Aug. 15, 2011.[17]

On March 11, 2011, by a vote of 28-15, the North Dakota Senate approved legislation ordering the University of North Dakota to retain its controversial Fighting Sioux nickname and Indian-head logo. Governor Jack Dalrymple signed the Fighting Sioux bill into law the following week. This law was subsequently repealed during a special session of the legislature in November 2011, however.[18]

On February 8, 2012, it was announced that supporters of the "Fighting Sioux" nickname received 17,213 signatures on a petition that sent the issue to a statewide vote in June. The university then resumed using the nickname.[19]

On March 1, 2012, in a letter sent to the University, the NCAA reiterated its current policies concerning participation in NCAA championships and stated that the school risks losing the right to play postseason games at home if their athletes, cheerleaders or band display the nickname "Fighting Sioux" or the American Indian head logo. In addition, since "NCAA policy requires that student-athletes, band, cheerleading, dance and mascot uniforms and paraphernalia not have hostile or abusive racial/ethnic/national original references", any UND teams participating in postseason games that do not adhere to this would risk forfeiture of the game and "the NCAA reserves its right to seek reimbursement for expenses incurred".[20][21]

On April 3, 2012, UND President Robert Kelley issued a statement warning about the negative consequences to UND if the statewide vote in June results in continued use of the nickname.[22]

On June 11, 2012, the naming issue was up for a statewide vote, on the ballot as Referendum Measure #4, to keep or retire the nickname. A sizable majority, 67.35%,[23] of North Dakota voters chose to retire the "Fighting Sioux" name and American Indian head logo.[24]

On June 14, 2012, the state Board of Higher Education voted to get rid of the University of North Dakota's moniker and Indian head logo. The university is prohibited from adopting a new team name until 2015.

On July 21, 2015, the university submitted five names options to be approved by UND president Robert Kelley to be put to a public vote, with the names being Fighting Hawks, Nodaks, North Stars, Roughriders and Sundogs.[25]

On October 26, 2015, the list was pared down to three: Fighting Hawks, Roughriders and Nodaks.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Color Identity: University of North Dakota". UND Office of University Relations. October 11, 2015. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  2. ^ "The Long, Strange Demise of North Dakota's 'Fighting Sioux'". The Chronicle of Higher Education. October 22, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  3. ^ "UND nickname vote comes to a close, results expected early next week". Forum Communications Company. October 23, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  4. ^ http://www.fightingsioux.com//ViewArticle.dbml?&&DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=204763107
  5. ^ http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/162575896.html
  6. ^ Holly Anis, Thirty years of telling us to be honored, High Plains Reader, March 4, 1999
  7. ^ Brief history of nickname - "B.R.I.D.G.E.S." group
  8. ^ Statement to UND President Kupchella from 21 Native American-related programs at UND - "B.R.I.D.G.E.S." group
  9. ^ Ralph Engelstad's letter to UND President Kupchella - "B.R.I.D.G.E.S." group
  10. ^ Barrett, Joe (10 April 2010). "University Loses Sioux Mascot War". Wall Street Journal.
  11. ^ UND President Kupchella's open letter to the NCAA - June 7, 2006
  12. ^ Dale Wetzel, North Dakota to sue NCAA over university's Fighting Sioux nickname, Associated Press, June 15, 2006
  13. ^ "'Fighting Sioux' lawsuit settled". Associate Press. October 26, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-10-28. Retrieved 2007-09-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  14. ^ "Controversy at Ralph Engelstad Arena". www.sports-venue.info. October 31, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-31. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  15. ^ Associated Press, Sports Briefing--Colleges: Fighting Sioux Nickname Retired, Published in New York Times, April 8, 2010
  16. ^ Mador, Jessica (April 8, 2010). "ND board: Fighting Sioux nickname is retired". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
  17. ^ "Nickname/Logo Blog - University of North Dakota Nickname". Nickname.und.edu. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
  18. ^ Barrett, Joe (November 10, 2011). "Sioux Nickname Yields". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  19. ^ "Fighting Sioux backers finish petition". ESPN. February 8, 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  20. ^ Associated Press. "N. Dakota could lose home playoff edge". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  21. ^ Augustoviz, Roman (February 29, 2012). "NCAA puts hammer down on UND Fighting Sioux". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  22. ^ "Statement from UND President Robert Kelley". University of North Dakota. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  23. ^ "Secretary of State - Election Night Results - June 12th, 2012". North Dakota State Government. June 13, 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  24. ^ Kolpack, Dave (June 13, 2012). "ND voters dump Fighting Sioux nickname". Minnesota Public Radio News. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  25. ^ http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/public-backlash-leads-university-of-north-dakota-president-to-reconsider-nickname-committees-five-name-list/
  26. ^ http://www.si.com/college-football/2015/10/26/north-dakota-new-nickname-three-way-vote

External links

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