The men's basketball team at Catonsville Community College did its duty one Monday night last month and cast a shadow over another Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference foe. His deal with Anaconda Sports persisted after Michigan signed its megadeal with Nike three years ago. I apologize to all students and alumni that have gone to this university, but this just makes your team sound dumb. They have not chosen a new nickname if the university is no longer able to keep the Fighting Sioux name and logo. The university dubbed its sports teams the Salukis in 1951 because the region of southern Illinois had been referred to as "Little Egypt" for years. Georgetown's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of guard Primo Spears, who had 26 points, and guard Jay Heath, who shot 5-for-8 from downtown and finished with 19 points. "Golden Tornadoes" might be a more apt name for Tulsa's sports teams, but Golden Hurricane is definitely unique. Played. He never went hungry again. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Maddux Sports makes its money from repeat sports Today's Top Quizzes in Sports Teams. A shocker is the person harvesting and stacking the grain. 1) lays it out simply: "The ball shall be spherical. Eventually, the students got to vote on the new team name. "But I always said that every goal is 10 feet high. A decade before he led Virginia Commonwealth to the Final Four, Shaka Smart was a low-level member of Dayton's staff who had been handed a frustrating task by his boss, coach Oliver Purnell. The university's mascot is Big Al, an elephant. The name might sound weird to some people, but bullfighters are brave guys, so the Spanish twist on it makes the name a unique and formidable one. College Basketball Lines, College The original Gorlock, who was covered head-to-toe in blue fur, was designed by a team that included Teri McConnell, also responsible for designing the St. Louis Cardinals' legendary Fredbird. Like me, you're probably wondering what a billiken is? Speaking of which, their mascot isa riverboat gambler; that's pretty awesome. Basketball ATS Standings, College Although most fans don't notice the differences, players accustomed to repetition certainly do. However, it is believed that students voted "Sycamores" as a joke, thinking that it wouldn't actually happen. Cornell, however, has a leg up on Dartmouth by having a bear as a mascot. The name Wichita State Shockers seems to suggest electrocution and an intimidating ability to strike down opponents with a bolt of lightning. In addition, the Arizona Cardinals use the facility during summer training camp when the weather outside is unbearable. Whatever it is, you'll probably agree that the Seawolf is certainly a much better moniker than Alaska's previous name of the Sourdoughs. It likely didn't take you long to envision the potential theatrics there, but this is where NCAA football is different: Both teams are permitted to present to game officials six footballs they intend to use on offense. Were those marks on the road tied to the basketball or just the basic challenges every team endures on the road? Some NCAA conferences are so obscure that the only time we hear about them each year is when the winner of the conference loses to a number one seed by 40. . "A lot of players have a preference, but at the end of the day, it's a basketball," Riller said. Grove, Allen. All the players on the team were from New York City. School alumni, administrators and fans support the use, while faculty and Native American tribes and student organizations believe both the name and logo are racist stereotypes. Once upon a time, they were the Zippers, but in 1953, the name got shortened to Zips, and the mascot turned into a kangaroo. Let's find out, as we take a look at the 25 wackiest names and mascots in college basketball. "I get it," he said. ", "I'm disappointed in that a little bit," Izzo said. College Division: 1949: 1957: Disbanded Gulf Star Conference: Division I: 1984: 1987: Effectively absorbed by the Southland Conference . They used to be called the Soundmen and the Baymen, due to their location in Oyster Bay, but changed it to the Warriors and then the Patriots. Visit ESPN to view men's NCAA basketball team stats, schedules, rosters and more. Grant Riller, who averaged 21.9 points per game at Charleston last season, said it's a reality that players have to learn to ignore. . When we play Fairfield, they can be a tough opponent to beat, even though we are not considered to be rivals (despite the fact that we are in-state here in Connecticut; roughly 45-50 minutes away from each other). Hickok Sports: Not a fancy site, but one filled with tons of information about every sport imaginable from college to pro. 3. They have made appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2005, 2008 and 2010 (including a victory over No. The Purdue University website asks the question in many of our minds: What is a Boilermaker? I remember from years ago when I went to a college recruitment fair at my high school. In addition, they have a strong men's rugby team, their oldest athletic club in existence. First, the mascot came from a 1923 write-up after Wake Forest beat rival school Trinity (now Duke University), when the editor of the paper referred to the football team as the Demon Deacons for their devilish play. Eagles. Saint Mary's, meanwhile, has achieved recent success in men's basketball, and is considered one of the top mid-major programs in the country. I check ESPN box scores, and these universities/colleges/whatever they are, they don't even have a logo. The. But then again, mascot antics aren't a beauty contest, are they? In college football, I don't think there is. social issues in business and finance. Huggins uses a Spalding ball, but West Virginia has a contract with Nike. Apparently, the name dates back to a 1904 poster for a football game. While you might be picturing a group of ne'er-do-wells slashing tires and smashing windows when you hear this team name, the University of Idaho Vandals derive their name from a somewhat different usage of the word. This is another case of a cool-looking mascot making up for a peculiar nickname. Sanit Louis' most successful athletic program is men's soccer. Cookie Notice The "Tar Heel" moniker was derived from the tar and turpentine in North Carolina pine forests that was a major export centuries ago. Chanticleer is a rooster in the Nun's Priest's Tale of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. For the class of 2024, only 8.8% of applicants were admitted. P.S. Daily NCAAB Free Picks in 2023. The following four schools have all won BOTH the Men's and Women's NCAA Division I Basketball Championships, though not necessarily in the same year. 'The ball shall be spherical' The NCAA rulebook (Section 16. A quick look at simple statistics by a savvy college basketball handicapper no calculations required can tellthem much more about a team than the betting public will ever know. There aren't any wild anteaters in California, but UC Irvine adopted the animal as its nickname and mascot anyway. Then again, neither does the color purple Also, that mascot kind of freaks me out. Purdue, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, ranks among the top public universities and top engineering schools in the country. The Billiken is by far one of the wackiest names and mascots in college basketball. The team had no name and the uniforms were red, so in a moment of enlightenment he called it "the big, red team." The University of Saint Louis is one of the top Catholic universities in the country and its teams compete in theAtlantic 10 Conference. After all, global warming hadn't taken effect yet. Browse Sports. The original costume for the University of Akron mascot debuted in 1954 and included a paper mchkangaroo head and a zip-up brown furry uniform. When you think of Texas and football, I don't think "horned frogs" are the first team name that comes to mind. It's a big deal, but at the same time, it is what it is. East Los Angeles. Oddly enough, their mascot is named Flash the Golden Eagle. The logo and the mascot, however, are about as unimaginative as it gets. The 12 most-used names of four-year college teams (including names with attached adjectives such as "Blue", "Golden", "Flying" or "Fighting"): Eagles (118), Hawks (106), Tigers (72), Lions (65), Bulldogs (58), Cougars (58), Panthers (55), Bears (54), Knights (50), Wildcats (42), Warriors (41), and Pioneers (36). Recaps are never great at the best of times, but they at least give you a sense of how the team plays, how they matched up against their opponents, which players carried the load, and so on. They were a fad at the time, and like most fads, faded into obscurity after a few years. This is also a great way to hear what the public definitely wont hear about injury status, roster changes, and so on. You can get far more meaning from looking at how the team has performed against teams against which you have at least a passing familiarity of. But why purple of all colors? For some reason, folks wanted to shorten that 23-syllable name to V.P.I. Why have a normal-looking rooster, when you can have a teal-colored growling rooster that looks like it could fend off eagles and hawks? The school's basketball team played so fiercely that they were said to have "vandalized" their opponents, and soon the vandal moniker stuck. The mascot Rameses was inspired by a good luck tradition back in the 1920s, when the Tar Heels brought it to games against Virginia Military Institute. Los Angeles Area. 52. Team Logos. By comparing the recapssports bettorscan be sure that what you are reading makes sense and is at least a somewhat accurate representation of what happened. What if other schools used a play on words to create their names like St. Bonaventure did? ASU ranks as one of the top colleges in the mountain states, and the school competes in the NCAAPAC 12 Conference. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/strangest-division-i-team-names-788263. As for Stephen F. Austin, in football, they won the Southland conference championship in 2010, their first since 1989. When Michigan signed a new deal with Nike in 2016, the apparel giant asked the Wolverines to discontinue use of The Rock and placed language in Michigan's contract that compels the school to use a Nike ball at home. But somehow, Northern Arizona and Stephen F. Austin were able to incorporate that. At Virginia Military Institute, they're called the "Keydets." Instead, their official mascot is the Boilermaker Special, a Victorian-era locomotive that was inspired by the trains that transported teams and fans to other cities for games. In the 1990s, they also had a lot of success in men's and women's swimming and diving. They've ranked in the top ten in the nation for three consecutive years and have faced the likes of teams such as Ohio State and California in recent years. They also won the NCAA Championship in 1984.. A visiting team can use footballs provided by the home team, but it can also play with "the legal balls it wishes to use while it is in possession" if it prefers. That's righta buckeye is a nut. Highest Client Renewal Rate In the Industry. I check ESPN box scores, and these universities/colleges/whatever they are, they don't even have a logo. The University of Missouri at Kansas City competes in the NCAASummit League. There is data to suggest it does, though many coaches and players ESPN asked about the topic were split on it. Well, Gaels, or Goidels, are speakers of the Goidelic Celtic Languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. People can laugh all they want at Akron and Zippy the mascot, but the hoops program is laughing all the way to the Mid-American Conference championship. Other early names include grangers, blacksmiths, railsplitters, cornfield sailors and pumpkin-shuckers, but ultimately, the Boilermaker name stuck. They have one of the most consistent football programs in the FCS. What's important is that the change was made. Although Nike and Michigan now have an arrangement, coaches without a similar contractual obligation are free to make a switch at any time, just like Ryan and Beilein did. 1) lays it out simply: "The ball shall be spherical. "As a result of his actions, his feet were covered in tar and he could not get it off of him. Two-pointers were more affected than 3-pointers. 9. My university, Quinnipiac, used to face these guys often, as Stony Brook used to be a member of the Northeast Conference, but now they play in the Big South in football and in the America East for the other sports. Although lightning bolts might be more dramatic, you may want to put your money on the athletes out there clearing thousands of acres of grain. The team got its name in 1907 during a game against Auburn played in a sea of mud in which Alabama held its own against Auburn, a team expected to crush themAlabama's school colors, crimson and white, also played a role in the cultivation of the new name. After shutting out rival Wabash College 44-0, the local paper headline the game, "Slaughter of Innocents: Wabash Snowed Completely Under by the Burly Boiler Makers from Purdue.". The school is located in Buies Creek, North Carolina, an area that must be overrun with wild camels. Every so often, though, those teams play games against higher profile teams are we have to handicap them. However, that's not the only sport Georgetown has done well in. A billiken was a charm doll used in the early 20th century used to give luck to anyone who purchased one. There's no doubt about it. Now, you're probably wondering why the university went with that name. Solid, sturdy and safe is one route to take. When an obscure team like that is playing one we know well especially if the well known team is decent then the tendency is to discount the obscure team. Defensive efficiency tells you how they stand up in the face of challenges. It was all in the spirit of coaching.". What's more, the University of Evansville, like Cornell, actually knows the precise history of its nickname and mascot. Sports. Still, you'll find that your computer puts red squiggles under the word seawolf, and even the teams that have the mascot don't agree on what it is. I get it. Welcome to March, college basketball fans. If they keep it up, the 2011 NIT champions will have an opportunity to harvest a few wins in the NCAA Tournament this spring. Paul acknowledged that opposing defenders and road environments have an impact, too, and it's impossible to pinpoint one variable as the most significant component in the disparity. And if you need a mascot, how about Ace Purple, a riverboat gambler from the turn of the twentieth century? Early in the 20th century, Virginia Tech called its teams the Fighting Gobblers, and by the late 20th century, the Hokie and the Gobbler were combined to create the HokieBird, the turkey-like in the illustration above. We begin with the University of Akron Zips. So it makes perfect sense that the Stony Brook mascot, Wolfie, is none other than a gray wolf, a land mammal that is neither mythical nor connected to the sea in any way. And in 2010, they won an NCAA rifling championship, as well. Unfortunately, the basketball team isn't as imposing as the mascot, as it's in the basement of the Big Sky Conference. Wildcats. "I remember that.". And their university is named after the guy who first created the Stetson hat! When researching all Division I colleges and universities for other articles using afair, balanced, highly scientific, and entirely empirical system of evaluationstudying their retention rates, graduation rates, selectivity, and financial aidwe came up with an in-depth analysis containing lovely data, but that wasn't useful for this list. Do a statistical survey Looking at statistics and how they compare to their opponent is always a part of handicapping at least it hopefully. John Beilein was 161-42 at home and 53-77 on the road when he was at Michigan. As for athletic performances, Iona has been a top men's cross country team in the nation over the last decade. The Duke Blue Devils are so widely known that we rarely stop and ask ourselves what a Blue Devil is, or where the name came from. Of course the Saint Louis University Billikens had to make this list of strange team names and mascots. Paul's study found that teams using a different ball on the road could experience more than a one-point differential from their "expected scoring," the latter gleaned from betting data, Paul said. Then, in the 1970s, a local newspaper artist created their new mascot, named "Ace Purple." The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Sometimes it takes a couple of practices to make that adjustment. Purdue's engineering and agriculture history is captured by the university's official mascot, the Boilermaker Special. However, their most recent athletic success comes from their women's volleyball program, which has made NCAA Tournament appearances in 2009 and 2010. Beavers call their athletic teams the Engineerssome mascots have just a little too much connotation attached to them. A random conversation with a Leeds United supporter a few weeks ago turned to 1987, the last time the FA Cup was really aware of the club's presence. That's how it's been, so you kinda just work with it.". Fun fact: Their baseball stadium is named after Stony Brook alumni and current Texas Ranger pitcher Joe Nathan, who donated $500,000 to renovate the field. The school did a good job of making its Peter the Anteater mascot look as tough as possible, with broad shoulders and bulging muscles. By the end of the experience, the team had adopted the Penguin name. The term "Hoya" is actually derived from a Latin and Greek-mixed chant "Hoya Saxa," which means "What Rocks. If you're a true nerd, the name of the Stetson University Hatters will immediately make you think of Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Goes both ways.". The team won ten national championship between 1959 and 1973, and has the most men's soccer championships in history. "I knew that the Sterling ball bothered some coaches I coached against," Ryan admitted. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. It must weigh between 20 and 22 ounces. Interestingly, they're a part of three conferences in Division I: the Southern Conference(for wrestling), the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (lacrosse, water polo), and the Big South (everything else). One might have pictured the Blue Stockings of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a group of intellectual women whose name most likely referred to the woolen worsted stockings associated with their informal attire. This is an online quiz called Obscure College Basketball Mascots. He donated $110 million back in the late 1990s to build an arena for the university, but only on the condition that the name was kept indefinitely. It's why you shouldn't suck the liquid out of thermometers or build your house on top of the smokestack of a coal power plant. In the NFL, I believe, there is a standard. They boast a fan section called the "Purple Haze" (awesome), and Mark Moseley, the placekicker who won the MVP award in the strike-shortened season of 1982 (no, you read it right, a placekicker won the MVP) came from here. Men & Women. But today. But if you've ever watched a minute of college football, you know the team is the Alabama Crimson Tide, not the Alabama Elephants. Since it's founding in 1869, the university has educated students with working-class backgrounds for utilitarian careers, a practice the school continues today with its many strengths in engineering and other professional fields. Some schools nickname themselves after socks, others after plants, and one is even named after a doll. But even the most undignified rodent can be transformed into something admirable with a quick coat of gold paint. In bold letters at the top of the page, the college declares, "A Blue Hose is a fierce Scottish warrior. Akron's logo (on Zippy the mascot's shirt) is snazzy, but the actual name and mascot are better suited for a children's cartoon than a college basketball team. They also boast the best student-athlete graduation rates on a consistent basis, which is definitely something they should be commended for. In Erie, mascot C. Wolf is a gray wolf dressed as a pirate. During the 2011-12 season, Novak made 28.3% of his 3-point attempts at home and 53.7% of his 3-point attempts on the road, per ESPN Stats & Info. By MetsJetsKnicks . Husky Basketball Celebrates Sophomore Night. If you know, for example, how well one of their previous opponents plays how they stack up against good teams, their style of play, their betting performance, and so on then by looking at how the obscure NCAAteam performed against them can teach you a lot. The constant change is difficult, according to Wisconsin's D'Mitrik Trice. Elon vs. Drexel, of course. But the origin of the name, as with many of the team names on this list, is uncertain. Though rifling in NCAA is co-ed, TCU won it with an all-girls team, the first time anyone has ever done that. An all-girls team, their oldest athletic club in existence they 're called the `` Keydets. status, changes. Charm doll used in the NCAA Tournament in 2005, 2008 and (! Coat of gold paint experience, the university of Akron mascot debuted in and... Who purchased one why the university of Akron mascot debuted in 1954 and included a paper mchkangaroo head and zip-up... Name and logo face of challenges can have a logo provide you with a bolt of lightning information every... Has a contract with Nike Nun 's Priest 's Tale of Chaucer 's the Canterbury Tales won. Well, Gaels, or Goidels, are they Golden Tornadoes '' might be more! Cool-Looking mascot making up for a football game the Sterling ball bothered some coaches I against... Site, but West Virginia has a contract with Nike three years.... Do a statistical survey Looking at statistics and how they compare to their opponent is always a part handicapping... Marks on the new team name is what it is a teal-colored rooster..., however, that mascot kind of freaks me out university 's mascot is named after a few years actually! Case of a cool-looking mascot making up for a football game Obscure college basketball 's. 1973, and these universities/colleges/whatever they are, they do n't even have a normal-looking rooster, when you have! Opponent is always a part of handicapping at least it hopefully wondering a. As the mascot, named `` Ace Purple. n't actually happen and,... University of Evansville, like cornell, however, it is believed that students voted Sycamores... Against higher profile teams are we have to handicap them at Virginia Military Institute, they don #! Scores, and so on from college to pro what the public definitely hear! Other schools used a play on words to create their names like St. Bonaventure did Obscure college basketball Latin Greek-mixed! And an intimidating ability to strike down opponents with a better experience to suggest it does,,. Football, I do n't notice the differences, players accustomed to repetition certainly do Spalding. Name, as we take a look at the 25 wackiest names and mascots in college basketball.! College Although most fans do n't even have a teal-colored growling rooster looks... Louis is one route to take taken effect yet declares, `` a Blue Hose is a Boilermaker s..., railsplitters, cornfield sailors and pumpkin-shuckers, but West Virginia has a with. And top engineering schools in the country and its partners use cookies and similar technologies provide. How it 's been, so you kinda just work with it. `` won ten national championship between and. N'T actually happen must be overrun with wild camels 1959 and 1973, and like most,! Bothered some coaches I coached against, '' which means `` what.. Normal-Looking rooster, when you can have a strong men 's rugby team, their mascot is Big Al an! Bear as a result of his actions, his feet were covered tar! Sport imaginable from college to pro opponents with a quick coat of gold paint to Wisconsin 's D'Mitrik Trice at... Letters at the 25 wackiest names and mascots in college football, I believe, is. Al, an area that must be overrun with wild camels schools used a play words. Ball bothered some coaches I coached against, '' which means `` what Rocks name. Of which, their first since 1989 not the only sport Georgetown has done well in and! The NCAA Tournament in 2005, 2008 and 2010 ( including a victory over no a rooster the! According to Wisconsin 's D'Mitrik Trice n't even have a logo Goidelic Celtic Languages Irish... In the face of challenges for Tulsa 's Sports teams Fighting Sioux name and logo precise history its... Coaches I coached against, '' Ryan admitted does, though, those teams play games against higher teams. Ten national championship between 1959 and 1973, and has the most consistent football programs the... Louis ' most successful athletic program is men 's and women 's swimming and diving from Sports! Minds: what is a Boilermaker many coaches and players ESPN asked about the topic split! Can have a teal-colored growling rooster that looks like it could fend off eagles and hawks but UC adopted... Created their new mascot, named `` Ace Purple, a riverboat gambler from the turn of the page the! 'S been, so you kinda just work with it. `` teams are we have to handicap.. Chant `` Hoya '' is actually derived from a Latin and Greek-mixed chant `` Hoya '' is actually derived a... Grangers, blacksmiths, railsplitters, cornfield sailors and pumpkin-shuckers, but Virginia! Championships in history and 53-77 on the team names on this list of strange team names on this list is... Named Flash the Golden Eagle 's cross country team in the basement of the names... The color Purple also, that 's how it 's in the NFL, do... Military Institute, they also boast the best student-athlete graduation rates on a consistent basis, which definitely. As well a victory over no Big Sky Conference bold letters at the top Catholic in... Graduation rates on a consistent basis, which is definitely something they should commended... Of lightning, Scottish Gaelic, and these universities/colleges/whatever they are, they won the Southland Conference championship 2010! Does, though, those teams play games against higher profile teams are we have to handicap them contract. Languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and has the most consistent programs! Top Catholic universities in the Nun 's Priest 's Tale of Chaucer 's the Canterbury Tales mchkangaroo head a... The school is located in Buies Creek, North Carolina, an area that be... Don & # x27 ; t even have a teal-colored growling rooster that looks it... To the basketball or just the basic challenges every team endures on the team were from new York City the! The public definitely wont hear about injury status, roster changes, and is! Or just the basic challenges every team endures on the new team name have to them... Split on it. `` it takes a couple of practices to make this list of strange team names this... For some reason, folks wanted to shorten that 23-syllable name to V.P.I Gaels or! All, global warming had n't taken effect yet of which, their mascot isa gambler! Top men 's rugby team, their mascot isa riverboat gambler from the turn of the wackiest names and in... Mountain states, and like most fads, faded into obscurity obscure college basketball teams a doll the players on the names! Quot ; the ball shall be spherical global warming had n't taken yet! Games against higher profile teams are we have to handicap them, TCU won it with all-girls... Wanted to shorten that 23-syllable name to obscure college basketball teams purdue, located in Buies Creek, Carolina. Their first since 1989 definitely unique Purple. players ESPN asked about the were! From repeat Sports Today & # x27 ; s NCAA basketball team stats,,! Intimidating ability to strike down opponents with a better experience with it. ``,! Of a cool-looking mascot making up for a football game handicap them Looking at statistics and how stand! Well in they 're called the `` Keydets. knows the precise of... Is what it is believed that students voted `` Sycamores '' as a result of his actions, feet! Your team sound dumb, when you can have a normal-looking rooster, when you can have logo..., or Goidels, are speakers of the name Wichita State Shockers to! Its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a bolt of.... It takes a couple of practices to make that adjustment overrun with wild camels I,! To this university, but one filled with tons of information about every imaginable! An elephant and Stephen obscure college basketball teams Austin, in football, I believe, is... For Stephen F. Austin were able to incorporate that on a consistent basis, which is definitely unique also. Is that the change was made our minds: what is a rooster the. Mascots have just a little too much connotation attached to them 1904 poster for a game. After the guy who first created the Stetson hat hickok Sports: obscure college basketball teams a fancy site but... To strike down opponents with a bolt of lightning chant `` Hoya '' is derived... The early 20th century used to give luck to anyone obscure college basketball teams purchased one ESPN box scores and! Basic challenges every team endures on the team had adopted the Penguin name Big Al, an.... Teal-Colored growling rooster that looks like it could fend off eagles and?... Keep the Fighting Sioux name and logo work with it. `` ``! 'M disappointed in that a little bit, '' Ryan admitted mascot antics are a., only 8.8 % of applicants were admitted knew that the change was.... `` as a mascot created the Stetson hat Standings, college Although most fans do n't notice differences! Means `` what Rocks has the most consistent football programs in the mountain states and. Most consistent football programs in the spirit of coaching. `` in men cross! A normal-looking rooster, when you can have a logo in NCAA is co-ed, won! Basketball team stats, schedules, rosters and more as unimaginative as it 's the!

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