North Dakota Fighting Hawks football

North Dakota Fighting Hawks football
2024 North Dakota Fighting Hawks football team
First season1894; 130 years ago (1894)
Athletic directorBill Chaves
Head coachBubba Schweigert
10th season, 61–50 (.550)
StadiumAlerus Center
(capacity: 12,283[1])
Field surfaceTurfNation TN-46SM[2]
LocationGrand Forks, North Dakota
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceMissouri Valley
All-time record668–423–30 (.609)
Bowl record4–0 (1.000)
Claimed national titles1 (Div. II): 2001
Conference titles26
RivalriesNorth Dakota State (Nickel Trophy)
University of South Dakota (Sitting Bull Trophy)
Current uniform
ColorsKelly green and white[3]
   
Fight songFight On Sioux
It's For You, North Dakota U
Stand Up and Cheer
MascotThe Fighting Hawk
Marching bandPride of the North
Uniform outfitterAdidas
Websitefightinghawks.com

The North Dakota Fighting Hawks represent the University of North Dakota, competing as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) in the NCAA Division I's Football Championship Subdivision. From 1973 to 2008, they played in the NCAA's NCAA Division II, winning the national championship in 2001. From 1955 to 1972, they competed in the NCAA's College Division where they participated in and won three bowl games.

North Dakota fielded its first football team in 1894. In 1922, they were one of the nine charter members of the North Central Conference (NCC), where they competed until 2008 when they upgraded all of their athletic programs to the Division I level and joined the Great West Conference. They joined the Big Sky Conference in 2012. UND has won 26 conference championships, including 14 outright titles. They have qualified for NCAA postseason play 19 times, most recently in 2023. North Dakota was ineligible for post season play during its transition to Division I from 2008 to 2011.

North Dakota left the Big Sky Conference for all sports in 2018, joining the Summit League. Their football program joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2020. Although being classified as an independent for football in 2018 and 2019, they played a full Big Sky schedule with their games counting in the conference standings for their opponents, but the Fighting Hawks were ineligible to compete in the conference championship.[4]

  1. ^ "Alerus Center". University of North Dakota. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  2. ^ Stromberg, Amber (August 12, 2020). "Alerus Center Installed a Permanent Artificial Turf System | Kiefer USA".
  3. ^ UND Athletics Brand 22 Media (PDF). April 10, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  4. ^ Miller, Tom (January 26, 2017). "UND officially makes the move to the Summit League, Missouri Valley Football Conference". Grand Forks Herald. Retrieved January 7, 2024.