Western Illinois Leathernecks

Western Illinois Leathernecks
University Western Illinois University
Conference Summit League
Missouri Valley Football Conference
NCAA Division I
Athletic director Matt Tanney
Location Macomb, Illinois
Varsity teams 16
Football stadium Hanson Field
Basketball arena Western Hall
Baseball stadium Alfred D. Boyer Stadium
Softball stadium Mary Ellen McKee Softball Stadium
Soccer stadium MacKenzie Alumni Field
Other arenas Brophy Hall Pool
Harry Mussatto Golf Course
WIU Tennis Facility
Mascot Colonel Rock (Live Bulldog), Rocky the Bulldog (Costumed Bulldog)
Nickname Leathernecks
Fight song We're Marching On
Colors Purple and Gold[1]
         
Website www.goleathernecks.com
Summit League logo in Western Illinois' colors

The Western Illinois Leathernecks are the teams and athletes that represent Western Illinois University, located in Macomb, Illinois, in NCAA Division I sports. The school's primary conference affiliation is with the Summit League; its football team is a member of the Division I FCS (formerly Division I-AA) Missouri Valley Football Conference.

WIU's nickname, the Leathernecks, and its mascot, the English bulldog, are taken from the traditions of the United States Marine Corps. The university has had permission to use the official nickname and mascot of the Corps since 1927, when Ray Hanson, then-athletic director and coach of the baseball, basketball and football teams, gained permission to use the symbols as a homage to his service in that military branch during World War I.[2] Western Illinois University is the only non-military university to use a military nickname.[2] Since the fall semester of 2009, the men's and women's teams have been unified under the Leathernecks name;[3] previously, the women's teams and athletes at the school had been known as the Westerwinds.

Sports

A member of The Summit League, Western Illinois University sponsors teams in nine men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports:[4]

Men's Intercollegiate Sports Team Article Head Coach Women's Intercollegiate Sports Team Article Head Coach
Baseball Ryan Brownlee Basketball Leathernecks women's basketball JD Gravina
Basketball Leathernecks men's basketball Billy Wright Cross Country Mike Stevenson
Cross Country Mike Stevenson Golf Lia Biehl Lukkarinen
Football [v 1] Leathernecks football Charlie Fisher Soccer Dr. Eric Johnson
Golf Mel Blasi Softball Holly Van Vlymen
Soccer Dr. Eric Johnson Swimming and Diving Greg Naumann
Swimming and Diving Greg Naumann Tennis Mirko Bjelica
[v 2] Track and Field (Indoor and Outdoor) Mike Stevenson
Track and Field (Indoor and Outdoor) Mike Stevenson Volleyball Kelly Richardson
Notes
  1. ↑ The football team competes as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
  2. ↑ The men's tennis program was discontinued at the end of the 2015–16 school year.

Teams

Baseball

The Western Illinois Leathernecks baseball team represents the university in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team is a member of the Summit League. It plays its home games at the 500-seat Alfred D. Boyer Stadium and are coached by Ryan Brownlee.

Men's basketball

The Western Illinois Leathernecks men's basketball team competes in NCAA Division I men's college basketball competition. The school's team is a member of the Summit League. The team plays it home games at 5,139-seat Western Hall and are coached by Billy Wright.[5]

Women's basketball

The Western Illinois Leathernecks women's basketball team is a member of the Summit League, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home games at 5,139-seat Western Hall and are coached by JD Gravina.

Football

The Western Illinois Leathernecks football program competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The team has made numerous NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) playoff appearances. The Leathernecks have been ranked as high as number one and ranked number two numerous times. The team plays its home games at the 16,368 seat Hanson Field and are coached by Charlie Fisher.

Men's soccer

The Western Illinois Leathernecks men's soccer team is a member of the Summit League, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home games at 500-seat MacKenzie Alumni Field and are coached by Dr. Eric Johnson.

Women's soccer

The Western Illinois Leathernecks women's soccer team is a member of the Summit League, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home games at 500-seat MacKenzie Alumni Field and are coached by Dr. Eric Johnson.

Softball

The Western Illinois Leathernecks softball team is a member of the Summit League, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home games at 500-seat Mary Ellen McKee Softball Stadium and are coached by Holly Van Vlymen. The team has appeared in eight Women's College World Series, in 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980 and 1982.[6]

Volleyball

The Western Illinois Leathernecks volleyball team is a member of the Summit League, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home games at 5,139-seat Western Hall and are coached by Kelly Richardson.

Notable alumni

Western Illinois Leathernecks traditions

Western Loyalty

The name of the "official" Alma Mater for Western Illinois University is "Western Loyalty".

We’re Marching On

The name of the "official" fight song for Western Illinois University is "We’re Marching On".

Western Illinois University Marching Leathernecks

The Western Illinois University Marching Leathernecks is the marching band which represents Western Illinois University.

Mascots

Colonel Rock

"Colonel Rock" is the "official" live bulldog mascot for Western Illinois University. According to WIU's official webpage, the first Colonel Rock was bought in 1958. He was named after the famed football coach Colonel Ray (Rock) Hanson. Colonel Rock III is the current live mascot.[7]

Rocky

"Rocky" is the "official" costumed bulldog mascot for Western Illinois University.

References

  1. ↑ "Approved WIU Colors". Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "The Leatherneck Nickname". Western Illinois Athletics. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  3. ↑ University Relations (2009-06-05). "University comes to decision on nickname unification". Western Illinois University. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
  4. ↑ "Fighting Leathernecks". Western Illinois University. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  5. ↑ http://www.goleathernecks.com/coaches.aspx?rc=439&path=mbball
  6. ↑ Plummer, William; Floyd, Larry C. (2013). A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States: Turnkey Communications Inc. ISBN 978-0-9893007-0-4.
  7. ↑ "Our Traditions - About Western - Western Illinois University". www.wiu.edu. Western Illinois University. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.