| North Dakota Fighting Hawks | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | University of North Dakota |
| Conference | Summit League (primary) Missouri Valley (football) NCHC (Men's hockey) |
| NCAA | Division I (FCS) |
| Athletic director | Bill Chaves |
| Location | Grand Forks, North Dakota |
| Varsity teams | 17 |
| Football stadium | Alerus Center |
| Basketball arena | Betty Engelstad Sioux Center |
| Ice hockey arena | Ralph Engelstad Arena |
| Golf course | Ray Richards Golf Course |
| Indoor track and field venue | Fritz Pollard Athletic Center |
| Other venues | Bronson Field Memorial Stadium Hyslop Sports Center Choice Health & Fitness Oxford Softball Complex |
| Mascot | The Fighting Hawk |
| Nickname | Fighting Hawks Fighting Sioux (1930–2012) |
| Fight song | It's For You, North Dakota U Stand Up and Cheer |
| Colors | Kelly green and white[1] |
| Website | www |
 | |
| Team NCAA championships | |
| Division I Ice Hockey 1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 2000, 2016 Division II Football 2001 Division II Woman's Basketball 1997, 1998, 1999 | |
The North Dakota Fighting Hawks (formerly known as the Flickertails and the Fighting Sioux) are the athletic teams that represent the University of North Dakota (UND), 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.[2][3]
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 (FCS). 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.[4] Women's ice hockey competed in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association before also being dropped after the 2016–17 season.[4]
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.[5] The school would join the Missouri Valley Football Conference for football in 2020.[6] 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 (instead of 2019)[7] 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.[8]
- ^ UND Athletics Brand 22 Media (PDF). April 10, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ "'U' Renews Rivalry at UND for Weekend Series".
- ^ Wells, Nathan. "Gophers' return to North Dakota mixes old and new for college hockey's best rivalry".
- ^ a b "Deep budget cuts force UND to eliminate three varsity sports" (Press release). North Dakota Fighting Hawks. March 29, 2017. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ "North Dakota to Join Summit League, Missouri Valley Football Conference". ESPN 99.1 – Sioux Falls Sports Leader – Sioux Falls Sports. Archived from the original on 2017-03-20. Retrieved 2017-01-25.
- ^ KSFY. "Sources: UND Set to Join Summit League and MVFC". Retrieved 2017-01-25.
- ^ "The Summit League Adds The University of North Dakota" (Press release). The Summit League. January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
- ^ "UND to Join Missouri Valley Football Conference" (Press release). Missouri Valley Football Conference. January 26, 2017. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.