North Dakota Fighting Hawks


The North Dakota Fighting Hawks are the athletic teams that represent the University of North Dakota, located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level as a member of the Summit League. With 17 varsity teams, North Dakota is best known for its Ice Hockey team and American football team. North Dakota's main rivalries are with the North Dakota State Bison and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Originally in the Division II North Central Conference, UND began transitioning to NCAA's Division I in 2008 with the football program participating in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision. North Dakota is a member of the Summit League for most sports, the Missouri Valley Football Conference in football, and the National Collegiate Hockey Conference for men's hockey. The Fighting Hawks competed in the Western Athletic Conference in baseball, plus men's and women's swimming and diving, before dropping all three sports. Baseball was dropped after the 2016 season, and the swimming and diving teams were dropped after the 2016–17 season. Women's ice hockey competed in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association before also being dropped after the 2016–17 season.
On January 24, 2017, reports stated that North Dakota would leave the Big Sky Conference to join the Summit League in all sports but football beginning in 2019. The school would join the Missouri Valley Football Conference for football in 2020. The rumored changes became official on January 26, when UND, the Summit League, and the MVFC announced the Fighting Hawks' move to the Summit in 2018 and the MVFC at the reported 2020 date. During UND's transition to the MVFC, it will continue to play a full Big Sky football schedule due to contractual commitments; while the Fighting Hawks will not be eligible for the Big Sky title, games against them will count in the Big Sky football standings.

Sports sponsored

Men's basketball

The Fighting Hawks Basketball team has appeared in the Division 1 tournament 1 time. The most famous athlete to come from the program is former NBA coach and basketball player Phil Jackson.

Football

The men's football home games are held in the Alerus Center. The team competes at the FCS Level in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Prior to Joining the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the team competed in the Big Sky Conference.

Ice hockey (men's)

Having won eight national championships, the men's hockey team is easily the most recognized of UND teams. A charter member of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, the Fighting Hawks play in the $100+ million Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Volleyball

The North Dakota Fighting Hawks volleyball are members of the NCAA Division I Summit League. The program only includes a women's team.

Rivalries

Hockey

  • Gophers
  • Pioneers

    Football

  • Bison
  • Coyotes

    All

  • North Dakota State Bison
  • South Dakota State Jackrabbits
  • South Dakota Coyotes

    Former sports

The wrestling program was discontinued in 1998. The baseball program dating to 1889 was cancelled at the conclusion of the 2016 season. The women's hockey program was cancelled at the conclusion of the 2016–17 season.
  • Baseball
  • Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving
  • Women's Golf
  • Wrestling
  • Women's Hockey

    Athletics 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.

Nickname

UND's nickname was originally The Flickertails, but was unofficially changed to "The Sioux" in 1930. 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. After more than a decade of controversy, the name and logo were retired in 2012. On November 18, 2015, it was revealed at a press conference held by President Robert Kelley that Fighting Hawks, with 57.24% of the vote, would become the new university nickname. The controversy surrounding the former "Fighting Sioux" nickname was later documented in the film Fighting Over Sioux.

Notable Athletes