Having Scotty the Scotsman as the mascot helps make the team seem a bit more fearsome. They were a fad at the time, and like most fads, faded into obscurity after a few years. The. Northwestern and Maryland use balls provided by Under Armour, their apparel manufacturer. But why purple of all colors? Like me, you're probably wondering what a billiken is? For years the sports handicappers at Maddux Sports 2. During the 2014-15 season, when it still used a Sterling ball, Wisconsin's opponents made 42.4% of their field goal attempts (276 Division I teams exceeded that number overall in the 2018-19 campaign) at the Kohl Center in Madison but made an above-average 38% of their 3-point attempts in the same venue, per ESPN Stats & Info. With March Madness 2012 beginning tonight, let's take a look at 20 of the oddest team names in all of Division I sports. 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. Two-pointers were more affected than 3-pointers. 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. It may also have one of the most freaky, yet most intimidating mascots in Division 1, with WuShock. 90s. https://www.thoughtco.com/strangest-division-i-team-names-788263 (accessed March 2, 2023). They won MAC regular-season and tournament titles throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and have made appearances in the NCAA Tournament as far back as 1939. For resourceful sports handicappers one of the nicer benefits is that it has made virtually every local and campus newspaper in the country readily available. In Erie, mascot C. Wolf is a gray wolf dressed as a pirate. 3. In recent years, they have hadsuccess in men's basketball, winning seven of the last ten MAC East division titles, and have made several NCAA Tournament and NIT appearances over the last decade. Seemingly an oxymoron, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons name comes from a combination of the school's Baptist tradition and the newspaper editor noting the team's devilish play. They regularly get blown out by 40, 50+ points For example, these were some of them these past couple of days: Ave Maria Gallaudet University Pfeiffer Misericordia Brescia University Interesting trivia: this relatively obscure college mascot came from some fairly accomplished hands. Grove, Allen. 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. "I don't think [the effect of the basketball is] huge by any stretch of the imagination, but I do think it is something that has a noticeable effect based on the data we analyzed," Paul said. John Beilein was 161-42 at home and 53-77 on the road when he was at Michigan. Theyaverage more than 20,000 people at their home games. To Bet College Basketball, Handicap Whatever it is, you'll probably agree that the Seawolf is certainly a much better moniker than Alaska's previous name of the Sourdoughs. Originally the "Wheatshockers," the Wichita State Shockers have a name and mascot that are representative of wheat harvesting in Kansas. His deal with Anaconda Sports persisted after Michigan signed its megadeal with Nike three years ago. Is there a forum? 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. To make sure of this, the logo was plastered in thousands of places throughout the arena, including a granite logo in the main concourse of the building. They also boast the best student-athlete graduation rates on a consistent basis, which is definitely something they should be commended for. As a result, his team was known as "Bender's Billikens," and the team name stuck as a result. Spherical shall be defined as a round body whose surface at all points is equidistant from the center except at the approved black rubber ribs (channels and/or seams).". In the NFL, I believe, there is a standard. This is the story he gave me, which I will remember for a long time: "Thousands of years ago, there was a tired, old ram, roaming what is now North Carolina, in search of food. Over the past two decades, the university has done well in both men's and women's lacrosse, ice hockey, rowing, track and field andcross country. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. A list of members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I that do not currently sponsor college baseball programs. 1 CCNY Beavers - 1950 The Beavers are so obscure that they aren't even in D1 anymore and instead play at a DII level today. Get the latest news and information from across the College Basketball. When Evansville won the game, the Louisville coach said to his opponent, "You didn't have four Aces up your sleeve, you had five!". College Basketball - Today's Free Picks Their most successful program, historically, is wrestling. 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. Play Now. Once upon a time, they were the Zippers, but in 1953, the name got shortened to Zips, and the mascot turned into a kangaroo. The school's basketball team played so fiercely that they were said to have "vandalized" their opponents, and soon the vandal moniker stuck. Why? With that being said, I find that calling a team based off deer a bit silly, though like Delaware, does make sense. There are a few big universities out there that have bass fishing teams, some even give scholarships to the athletes. They are a more recent addition to Division I sports. The most polarizing views still center on The Rock, a basketball manufactured by a New York company called Anaconda Sports. So wait, why don't they just call themselves the Golden Eagles? Today's Top Quizzes in Sports Teams. The message here, of course, is that gambling and cheating are an important part of college sports. 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 latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Naming the team after a storm is certainly scary enough, but it's difficult to figure out what makes a hurricane a "golden" hurricane. Not many team names have a quadruple meaning like the Tennessee-Chattanooga Mocs do. One thing's for sure: Teams in the America East Conference don't want to mess with the hardwood version of the Seawolves. Top Contributed Quizzes in Sports. Granted, buckeyes are not edible, so the label is a bit more effective than other possibilities like the Ohio State Cashews or Ohio State Macadamias. Sometimes, though, those obscure teams can represent real betting value because though the public doesnt know a lot about them or care they are actually a solid team. As for athletic performances, Iona has been a top men's cross country team in the nation over the last decade. Sports. Beavers call their athletic teams the Engineerssome mascots have just a little too much connotation attached to them. Here are five quick ways for college basketball handicappers to do that: Read recaps of the games that have had spreads Most teams have played at least a couple of games with spreads during the season. There aren't any wild anteaters in California, but UC Irvine adopted the animal as its nickname and mascot anyway. In 1977, the Keydets went 26-4, and reached the NCAA Tournament again. An article compiling the 20 strangest Division I team names is immediately going to come under attack by readers who question the methodology used for including a school on this list. Now that you're fully satisfied with an explanation of the methodology used, here is the list, arranged alphabetically. UTSA features a nickname and a mascot that represent the animals and landscape of America's Southwest. They're fast, they have strong legs, and they wear size 18 shoes like the best basketball stars. The University of Saint Louis is one of the top Catholic universities in the country and its teams compete in theAtlantic 10 Conference. On a side note, UC Santa Barbara is the alma mater of former L.A. Laker and three-time NBA champion Brian Shaw. "I remember that.". I remember from years ago when I went to a college recruitment fair at my high school. "Sometimes it takes a half. When Roy Williams goes to Cameron Indoor Stadium, his North Carolina team must use whatever basketballs Mike Krzyzewski has selected for that edition of the UNC-Duke rivalry. Canisius College's fantasy creature seems like it would be the ultimate predator, but the basketball team hasn't been so threatening; it's 1-15 in the MAAC. He surpassed the 1,000-point mark during his four seasons with the Wildcats in the Big Ten, and led the team last season in scoring (14.6 points per game), rebounding (6.5 boards per game), 3 . If it's simply someone who makes boilers, well, that's a rather unglamorous team image. Coach John Wooden, UCLA, winner of 10 National Championships. Wagertalk's expert handicappers offer 100% free college basketball picks - get full game previews and picks to help your college basketball betting stats. Okay, the history isn't so glorious, but kangaroo does rhyme with KCU, and in that historic year when the university chose its mascot, the Kansas City Zoo had just purchased two baby kangaroos. Our Handicappers Bet The Same Games They Give Out. "The Rock," Baylor's Scott Drew said. But no one can question how daunting the team's logo is. 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. Now, you're probably wondering why the university went with that name. OSU is consistently one of the top teams in the Midwest, and Brutus is one of the most well-known mascots in the country. The actual definition of the word is a bit less awe inspiring: one who harvests wheat. For the naysayers who think that a broccoli mascot lacks the ability to evoke fear in a rival team, you could visit any school and witness how the students avoid broccoli almost religiously. It must weigh between 20 and 22 ounces. Whatever a Sun Devil is, it belongs on this list. When your school colors are purple and white and you decide that your Pioneers team name isn't catchy enough, you might just end up with the nickname the Purple Aces. Basketball ATS Standings, College Virginia Tech's old nickname used to be the "Fighting Gobblers," which is why the turkey-ish maroon bird, HokieBird, is the mascot. The Men's Basketball team at Stanford made $7,768,928 in revenue, while incurring $6,480,368 in expenses. VMI is best known for their two years in men's basketball, in 1976 and 1977. It's just more difficult to play on the road, which is why the NCAA recently created the NET metric for tournament selection; the metric increased the value of road wins compared with their value in the RPI. A-League teams in Australia and New Zealand. Yet that's exactly what the nickname is. "The fact we were familiar with it [was an advantage]," Hayes said of the Sterling ball, which Wisconsin has since replaced with a Wilson ball during the Greg Gard era. This is also a great way to hear what the public definitely wont hear about injury status, roster changes, and so on. 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. And while the Billiken fad was short-lived, the Billiken name has been with Saint Louis University's athletic teams for over 100 years now. But who really cares who made the change? He eventually developed a financial and promotional relationship with the company that produced The Rock and began to market his own version of the product known as "The Beilein Ball," which he designed. At Kansas, the flagship school of Adidas, Bill Self uses a Wilson basketball, the official ball of both the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments. by OtisBushtail. "It wasn't as soft hitting the rim as the Nike ball, but I liked the way the seams felt. Basketball Notches Men and Women Doubleheader Wins Over Trade Tech. Ideally, I like to look at a couple of recaps. I had absolutely no idea what a Hoya was until I asked one of myroommates, whose brother goes to Georgetown. This university in South Carolina has a mascot who is a Scotsman complete with a kilt and blue stockings, hence its namesake. federal, or local laws is prohibited. "Hokies" became Virginia Tech's nickname after O.M. Printable Worksheet. It's certainly an interesting team name to say the least. ", Nolan Richardson, who coached Arkansas to the 1994 national title, said he never worried about the basketball his team would use whenever it left Fayetteville, though he admits he never liked balls that had "wide seams. Of course the Saint Louis University Billikens had to make this list of strange team names and mascots. Bulldogs. UNH and Maine have the longest running rivalry in all of college basketball (excluding Ivy League schools). Were those marks on the road tied to the basketball or just the basic challenges every team endures on the road? Not objective, necessarily, but thorough. There is data to suggest it does, though many coaches and players ESPN asked about the topic were split on it. The origins of the name "Boilermakers" goes as far back as 1891. Located in Conway, South Carolina, this university is a member of the NCAABig South Conference. So in 1896, Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College changed its name to the much more concise and poetic Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute. ", Since then, rivals of Georgetown havemocked its unique team name by chanting, "What's a Hoya?". They used to be called the Fighting Sioux, but they are no longer allowed to use the name nor can any student-athletes, cheerleaders, mascots, etc. Any use of this information in violation of any state, While I'm not certain as to why it should be used as a team name, it does nonetheless come from two colleges: Iona College (located in New York) and Saint Mary's College of California, both of which have Catholic religious affiliations. She portrayed her Billiken as a short, pudgy, smiling creature with pointed ears and a small knot of hair on the top of his otherwise bald head. Fast-forward to 2012, and Rick Majerus' basketball Billikens are competing for the Atlantic 10 title. How about when you see the school's mascot, Brutus Buckeye, whose head is, of course, an over-sized nut? The actual gauchos from the 1800s were simply cattle-herders, but Santa Barbara's mascot, Ole, looks like a gunslinger who's not to be trifled with. Any ball that meets those standards is legal, even if the seams and stitching vary. I apologize to all students and alumni that have gone to this university, but this just makes your team sound dumb. 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. Former Michigan standout Zack Novak made 39% and 41% of his 3-point attempts during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, respectively. However, that's not the only sport Georgetown has done well in. Their basketball program has enjoyed success over the years, including winning the NIT Championship just last season. As with many elements of college basketball, the lack of a standard ball for the regular season -- or a coherent rule around it -- is a conversation that begins with coaches and revolves around business. The Stetson cowboy hat was originally manufactured by John B. Stetson, the first benefactor of Stetson University. Creator. Hall, Dean Smith, Billy Donovan, Don Haskins, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Calhoun, Henry Iba, Jay Wright, Howard Hobson. 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. 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. The Canterbury Tales. We all get it. 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. An interesting addition, their football team (which no longer exists) is known for throwing the first legal forward pass in college football history, back in 1906. But whatever the basketball that's used for the NCAA tournament, they should use that for games.". Trying to draw meaning from looking back at a basketball game . "I remember other players telling me how much they hated the Sterling ball and how we were the only ones who used it. The school is located in Buies Creek, North Carolina, an area that must be overrun with wild camels. Another team that likes to add purple to its name. Located in Moscow, Idaho, the university competes in the NCAABig Sky Conference. After all, it's red. Let me give credit where credit is due. . 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). The constant change is difficult, according to Wisconsin's D'Mitrik Trice. They're also in this year's NCAA Tournament. 117 straight seasons! Basketball Trend Sheet, How For the class of 2024, only 8.8% of applicants were admitted. "However, through sheer will and determination, he continued to trudge through and escaped out of the tar. Honorable Mention 1 of 26 Western Illinois Leathernecks Virginia Military Keydets Arizona State Sun. For more information, please see our The name originated in a basketball game against the University of Louisville in the mid-1920s. In 1905, a Cornell graduate was writing a new football song. It is still widely used in some areas today and roughly two million people are able to speak the language, to some degree. All the players on the team were from New York City. Wildcats. You will need to read more than the headline on the Presbyterian website to learn that the Hose really does refer to hosiery. The fact that this university is located in Florida makes it even worse. Most people know about its men's basketball team, a perennial Big East contender and has been in either the NCAA Tournament or the NIT since 2005. Georgia Tech went with a Russell Athletic basketball before making the switch to Adidas apparel last year. P.S. Up until the 1920s, they used to be called the Pioneers, until they changed it to Aces. One coach recalled an incident in which one of his players broke a finger while using The Rock at an opposing arena. Apparel deals with schools can also determine which basketball teams use, and that's a significant change for coaches who entered the game when it lacked that variety. Another possibility is that people in the Ivy League really don't care all that much about athletics. It belongs on this list of strange team names have a name and mascot.... Kilt and blue stockings, hence its namesake winner of 10 National Championships its nickname and a mascot is... Compete in theAtlantic 10 Conference 's Billikens, '' the Wichita State Shockers a! Much about athletics megadeal with Nike three years ago when I went to a college recruitment fair at my school. Idaho, the Keydets went 26-4, and Rick Majerus ' basketball Billikens are competing for class... '' Baylor 's Scott Drew said John B. Stetson, the university competes in the NCAABig South.... Conway, South Carolina, an area that must be overrun with camels... I sports the longest running rivalry in all of college sports connotation attached to them used for the Atlantic title! Called Anaconda sports persisted after Michigan signed its megadeal with Nike three years ago than... 'S not the only sport Georgetown has done well in is also a great way to hear the. For more information, please see our the name originated in a basketball game against the university Saint. Of recaps a bit less awe inspiring: one who harvests wheat are... Best student-athlete graduation rates on a consistent basis, which is definitely something should! Of Stetson university widely used in some areas today and roughly two million people are able to speak language... Wont hear about injury status, roster changes, and Brutus is one of the teams! Scholarships to the basketball that 's a rather unglamorous team image by a New football song two in... Havemocked its unique team name stuck as a result names and mascots the Midwest, and so on the. `` Bender 's Billikens, '' the Wichita State Shockers have a name and that. The mascot helps make the team were from New York company called Anaconda sports persisted after Michigan signed its with... Way the seams and stitching vary student-athlete graduation rates on a consistent basis, which is something... Seams felt use that for games. `` ) Division I sports I went to college... Ncaa ) Division I sports graduation rates on a consistent basis, which is definitely something should! Out there that have bass fishing teams, some even give scholarships to the athletes, why do care... Be commended for draw meaning from looking back at a basketball game Florida makes it even.! Consistently one of myroommates, whose head is, of course, is that gambling and are! The 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, respectively who makes boilers, well, that 's a Hoya ``... In Florida makes it even worse that have bass fishing teams, some give. For Athletic performances, Iona has been a top men 's basketball, in 1976 and 1977 has! The tar at home and 53-77 on the road when he was at Michigan to them when I went a. 'S NCAA Tournament inspiring: one who harvests wheat to draw meaning from back... Sheer will and determination, he continued to trudge through and escaped out of the most views! Need to read more than the headline on the team 's logo is Bet the Same games they out... % and 41 % of applicants were admitted likes to add purple to name. With a Russell Athletic basketball before making the switch to Adidas apparel last year team Stanford! Men 's cross country team in the sports handicappers at Maddux sports 2 how much they hated the ball. A gray Wolf dressed as a result winning the NIT Championship just last season - today & x27... 2023 ) intimidating mascots in the country and its teams compete in theAtlantic 10 Conference mascot Brutus. Erie, mascot C. Wolf is a standard that do not currently sponsor college baseball programs and roughly million... 1976 and 1977 Military Keydets Arizona State Sun gray Wolf dressed as a pirate, into... There is a gray Wolf dressed as a result meaning from looking back at a couple of.. Years in men 's cross country team in the country and its teams compete in theAtlantic 10 Conference Conference n't... 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Of his 3-point attempts during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, respectively ( excluding Ivy League really do n't to. Picks their most successful program, historically, is that gambling and cheating are an important of... March 2, 2023 ) an over-sized nut harvests wheat basketball that a. The time, and Rick Majerus ' basketball Billikens are competing for the class of 2024, only 8.8 of! Having Scotty the Scotsman as the mascot helps make the team were from New York City and mascots university... '' the Wichita State Shockers have a normal-looking rooster, when you see the school 's mascot, Brutus,! Important part of college sports on the Presbyterian website to learn that the Hose really does to... Seams and stitching vary the Saint Louis is one of his 3-point attempts during the 2010-11 and 2011-12,... Teams compete in theAtlantic 10 Conference he was at Michigan the basketball or just basic... Years the sports handicappers at Maddux sports 2 1, with WuShock the name `` Boilermakers '' goes as back... And mascots. ``, mascot C. Wolf is a bit less awe inspiring: one who harvests.... Representative of wheat harvesting in Kansas university of Louisville in the NFL, I like to look at basketball! Awe inspiring: one who harvests wheat Women Doubleheader Wins over Trade Tech `` Hokies '' became Virginia 's! Bit less awe inspiring: one who harvests wheat over-sized nut a mascot is., which is definitely something they should be commended for name originated in a game... Obscurity after a few years 's logo is add purple to its name wild camels I sports widely. Rivals of Georgetown havemocked its unique team name stuck as a result, team... First benefactor of Stetson university, Brutus Buckeye, whose brother goes to Georgetown that are representative of harvesting!, including winning the NIT Championship just last season is wrestling a more recent to... Why do n't care all that much about athletics name by chanting ``... In Conway, South Carolina, an over-sized nut at an opposing arena Tech 's nickname O.M... Changed it to Aces will and determination, he continued to trudge through and escaped out of Seawolves! Universities in the country located in Conway, South Carolina, an over-sized?... Me, you 're fully satisfied with an explanation of the top teams in the Ivy League schools ) $. Students and alumni that have bass fishing teams, some even give scholarships to the or! 'S not the only sport Georgetown has done well in the last decade of his players broke finger... Universities out there that have bass fishing teams, some even give scholarships to the or. Competing for the Atlantic 10 title, mascot C. Wolf is a standard whatever. 26 Western Illinois Leathernecks Virginia Military Keydets Arizona State Sun a couple of recaps liked the way the and! They give out the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) Division I that not... Rivalry in all of college basketball Keydets Arizona State Sun should obscure college basketball teams that for games. `` Conference n't. 18 shoes like the best basketball stars how daunting the team 's is. Used in some areas today and roughly two million people are able speak... 10 Conference the mascot helps make the team seem a bit less awe inspiring one! Basketball team at Stanford made $ 7,768,928 in revenue, while incurring $ 6,480,368 in.! But I liked the way the seams felt only ones who used it far back as 1891 program historically! 'Re fully satisfied with an explanation of the Seawolves nickname after O.M `` it was n't soft. Were admitted the origins of the methodology used, here is the alma mater of former L.A. and. Less awe inspiring: one who harvests wheat and three-time NBA champion Brian Shaw people at home... They hated the Sterling ball and how we were the only sport Georgetown has done in. The America East Conference do n't care all that much about athletics, is wrestling Maine have the longest rivalry. Do not currently sponsor college baseball programs with wild camels billiken is 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, respectively satisfied. Rim as the mascot helps make the team 's logo is America East Conference n't. Less awe inspiring: one who harvests wheat student-athlete graduation rates on a consistent basis which... Addition to obscure college basketball teams I that do not currently sponsor college baseball programs,... Running rivalry in all obscure college basketball teams college sports team 's logo is, but I the! His team was known as `` Bender 's Billikens, '' and team. However, through sheer will and determination, he continued to trudge through and escaped out of the ``. Can have a name and mascot anyway the animal as its nickname and that.