Howard Bison and Lady Bison

Howard Bison Lady Bison
University	Howard University
Conference	MEAC ASUN (women's lacrosse) Sun Belt (men's soccer) SWAC (women's soccer) CCSA (m&w swimming)
NCAA	Division I FCS
Athletic director	Kerry davis
Location	Washington, DC
Varsity teams	19
Football stadium	William H. Greene Stadium
Basketball arena	Burr Gymnasium
Mascot	Bison
Nickname	Bison
Colors	Navy Blue and White[1]
Website	www.hubison.com

The Howard Bison are the intercollegiate athletic teams representing Howard University in Washington, DC. The Bison compete in the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)^[2] and are members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for most sports.^[3] On July 16, 2015, the Athletics Department unveiled new logos.^[4]

Varsity teams

A member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Howard University sponsors teams in eight men's and eleven women's NCAA sanctioned sports:^[5]

Notes

Basketball

The Howard Bison have won 4 regular season conference championships, 3 conference tournament championships, and have appeared in 2 NCAA tournaments (1981 & 1992).

Soccer

As the only team in the MEAC playing men's soccer, the Bison's men's soccer team competed as an independent for many years, but the Bison became an affiliate member of the Sun Belt Conference when the conference resumed men's soccer after a 20-year absence in 2014. Over they years, Howard has had an up and down history, with NCAA championship seasons and other years seeing little success; the 2013 team had only one win in eighteen games.^[6]

Bison teams qualified for the NCAA tournament in 1962, 1963, 1970†, 1971†, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1988, 1989, and 1997. In six College Cup appearances, they were NCAA Champions in 1974, runners-up in 1988, third in 1972, and fourth in 1975; additional first (1971) and third (1971) place finishes were vacated by the NCAA.^[7]

The women's soccer team joined the Southwestern Athletic Conference in 2014 and won the regular season & tournament titles in its first year. As a first-year member of the conference, Howard was not allowed to accept the SWAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament (runner up Prairie View A&M went instead).

Facilities

William H. Greene Stadium is a 7,086-seat multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C., in the United States, which opened in 1926. It is home to the Howard University Bison football, soccer, track & field, and Women's lacrosse teams. Originally called Howard Stadium, it was renamed William H. Greene Stadium in 1986 in honor of William H. Greene, M.D., a Washington, D.C., physician.^[8]

Marching band

Howard's marching band is known as the "Showtime" Marching Band and its featured auxiliary is the "Ooh La La!" dance team. The band has performed at several NFL games, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Honda Battle of the Bands, and the 56th Inaugural Parade for President Barack Obama. The marching band's mission is to serve as a university ambassador and Bison athletics supporter.^[9]

Honors

Division I National Championships

Men's Soccer – 1971 (Vacated) See Note

Men's Soccer – 1974^[10]

• Note: Howard initially won the 1971 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship. The Championship was later vacated by the NCAA^[11] on the grounds that two Howard players had played amateur soccer in Trinidad, exhausting their eligibility, and that two others had not taken entrance exams, required by the NCAA, to predict a grade point average of at least 1.6. Howard University argued that the eligibility rules were vague and discriminated against foreigners, and that the players had all maintained grade-point averages of 3.0 or higher in college, but the NCAA did not reverse the ruling.^[12] Although the NCAA stripped Howard of their first title, the University still respects and honors the accomplishments of their 1971 National Championship title team.

Rivals

Howard's top rival is Hampton University. The two schools call their intense rivalry The Real HU.^{[13] [14] [15] [16] [17]}

Howard also has a strong rivalry with Morgan State University. ^{[18] [19] [20]}

Another of Howard's historic rivals is Morehouse College, more popularly known as the Howard/ "Spel-House" rivalry due to Morehouse's close association with the all-women's HBCU Spelman College. This rivalry is not often played because Morehouse is a NCAA Division II athletic program, while Howard is NCAA Division I.^{[21][22] [23]}

References

External links

• Official website

Links to related articles

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Full members Bethune-Cookman Wildcats Coppin State Eagles Delaware State Hornets Florida A&M Rattlers and Lady Rattlers Hampton Pirates Howard Bison and Lady Bison Maryland–Eastern Shore Hawks Morgan State Bears Norfolk State Spartans North Carolina A&T Aggies North Carolina Central Eagles Savannah State Tigers (leaving in 2019) South Carolina State Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs Associate members Augusta Jaguars (men's golf) Coastal Collegiate Sports Association men's swimming & diving Florida Atlantic Owls Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs Howard Bison Incarnate Word Cardinals NJIT Highlanders Old Dominion Monarchs women's swimming & diving Campbell Lady Camels Florida Gulf Coast Eagles Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs Georgia Southern Eagles Howard Lady Bison Incarnate Word Cardinals Liberty Lady Flames UNC Asheville Bulldogs North Florida Ospreys beach volleyball Charleston Cougars FIU Panthers Florida Atlantic Owls Florida State Seminoles Georgia State Panthers LSU Tigers South Carolina Gamecocks Tulane Green Wave UAB Blazers UNC Wilmington Seahawks Sun Belt Conference Full members (with football) Appalachian State Mountaineers Arkansas State Red Wolves Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Georgia Southern Eagles Georgia State Panthers Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks South Alabama Jaguars Texas State Bobcats Troy Trojans Full members (non-football) Little Rock Trojans Texas–Arlington Mavericks Football-only members Idaho Vandals (leaving in 2018) New Mexico State Aggies (leaving in 2018) Men's soccer-only members Hartwick Hawks Howard Bison Championships and awards List of champions Baseball Football Men's Basketball Women's Basketball Sports teams based in the Washington, D.C. area Baseball MLB Washington Nationals EL Bowie Baysox CL Frederick Keys Potomac Nationals ALPB Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Basketball NBA Washington Wizards WNBA Washington Mystics Football NFL Washington Redskins AFL Washington Valor WFA D.C. Divas Hockey NHL Washington Capitals Soccer MLS D.C. United NWSL Washington Spirit Roller derby WFTDA DC Rollergirls Rugby league USA Rugby League Washington D.C. Slayers Tennis WTT Washington Kastles Ultimate AUDL DC Breeze College athletics NCAA Div. I American Georgetown George Mason George Washington Howard Maryland Mount St. Mary's Navy NCAA Div. II UDC NCAA Div. III Catholic Gallaudet Marymount See also: Sports in Washington, D.C.