AKRON -Zips (Akron, OH) #15
---Located in Akron, OH, which was at one time home to all four major tire makers ( Goodrich, Goodyear, Firestone, General Tire) and was nicknamed "Tire City."
ARIZONA -Wildcats (Tucson, AZ) #5
---From the pretty cool/really weird and gross department: the school's museum (the Arizona State Museum) houses a box of sloth dung that is 10,000 years old.
BELMONT -Bruins (Nashville, TN) #13
---In the mid-1990s, Belmont adopted the mascot "Bruins," replacing the earlier mascot of Rebels due to the latter's association with the Confederacy.
BOSTON -Terriers (Boston, MA) #16
---Though historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Boston University currently claims to be a nonsectarian private institution.
BUCKNELL -Bison (Lewisburg, PA) #14
---CBS Television (home of the NCAA Tournament and Final Four) has a special tie to Bucknell: Leslie (Les) Moonves. He graduated from Bucknell in 1971. He is currently the President and CEO of CBS Television.
BUTLER -Bulldogs (Indianapolis, IN) #8
---The famed high school basketball film Hoosiers was filmed partly at Hinkle Fieldhouse, the crown jewel of Butler University....well, that and a certain Utah Jazz player named Gordon Hayward....
BYU -Cougars (Provo, UT) #3
---The BYU men's basketball team is ranked among the top 25 NCAA programs for all-time total victories.
CINCINNATI -Bearcats (Cincinnati, OH) #6
---Sandy Koufax (baseball), Oscar Robertson (basketball), and Miller Huggins (baseball) are among the famous athlete alums who have been enshrined in their respective sport's halls of fame.
CLEMSON -Tigers (Clemson, SC) #12
---Clemson University's campus is also home to the the 295-acre South Carolina Botanical Garden http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Botanical_Garden
DUKE -Blue Devils (Durham, NC) #1
---Originally founded in 1841 as a Quaker school in Wake Forest, NC, under the name Union Institute Academy. In 1892, it moved to Durham, NC. At that time, it changed its name to Trinity College and changed its affiliation to Methodist. The move and name change were because Washington Duke gave them a large donation.
FLORIDA -Gators (Gainesville , FL) #2
---Yes, the rumor is true. "Gatorade" was indeed invented at the University of Florida. It was first developed in 1965 by researchers as a means of replenishing the fluid, carbohydrates and electrolytes that are lost from the body during physical exertion.
FLORIDA STATE -Seminoles (Tallahassee, FL) #10
---FSU owns the only student-run three-ring circus on a U.S. campus. The Flying High Circus started in 1947 and performs for groups all across the southeast and occasionally in the Bahamas. The circus members consist of FSU students with no previous circus experience.
GEORGETOWN -Hoyas (Washington D.C.) #6
---The school's colors of blue and gray were implemented in 1876 as a symbol of the unity of the North and South after the Civil War. More than 100 Georgetown students and alumni lost their lives during the war.
GEORGIA -Bulldogs (Athens, GA) #10
---As a member of the SEC, the Bulldogs have won thirty-seven national championships and 130 conference championships.
GEORGE MASON -Patriots (Fairfax County, VA) #8
---George Mason was first created as a branch of the University of Virginia in 1957 and became an independent institution in 1972
GONZAGA -Bulldogs (Spokane, WA) #11
---In its first year of existence, Gonzaga enrolled just 18 boys and young men. The school now enrolls more than 4,500 students.
---Alma Mater of the greatest point guard in NBA history (author's opinion), John Stockton.
HAMPTON -Pirates (Hampton, VA) #16
---Hampton was founded by black and white leaders of the "American Missionary Association" after the Civil War to provide education to freed slaves and other men.
ILLINOIS -Illini (Champaign-Urbana, IL) #9
---The true full name of this school is a mouthful: the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign....I wonder if Deron Williams knows that???
INDIANA STATE -Sycamores (Terre Haute, IN) #14
---The Sycamores' first season was in 1896, thus making them the oldest basketball team in the NCAA (along with Bucknell, Minnesota, and Washington).
---Remember Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson? It's beyond a long shot, but worth noting that it is mathematically possible for Indiana State and Michigan State to meet up in the Final Four once again....don't start planning any parade routes just yet though, Spartans and Sycamores fans.
KANSAS -Jayhawks (Lawrence, KS) #1
---The famous "Rock Chalk Jayhawk" chant originated in 1886 as "Rah, Rah, Jayhawk"—the cheer of the school's Science Club.
KANSAS STATE -Wildcats (Manhattan, KS) #5
---Kansas State is making its 25th appearance in the tournament
---Located in Manhattan, KS, which is called "The Little Apple," playing off New York City's nickname of "The Big Apple."
KENTUCKY -Wildcats (Lexington, KY) #4
---The Wildcats are a storied college basketball program, evidenced by the fact that this is their record making 51st appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
LONG ISLAND -Blackbirds (Brooklyn, NY) #15
---Larry Doby was the first African American to play in the American League, and second only behind Jackie Robinson to play in the Major Leagues overall. Doby attened LIU for one semester before he joined the Navy.
LOUISVILLE -Cardinals (Louisville, KY) #4
---Among many prestigious and historical alumni, Darrell Griffith (aka Dr. Dunkenstein) and his fellow Doctors of Dunk must never be forgotten.
MARQUETTE -Golden Eagles (Milwaukee, WI) #11
---Original nickname was the Hilltoppers, and then later changed to the Warriors. However, some called the Warriors nickname politically incorrect in reference to Native American tribes, and so the school became known as the Golden Eagles.
---There are seven residence halls on the campus, three of which were built originally as hotels. In fact, The Beatles once stayed in Mashuda Hall when it was still a hotel.
MEMPHIS -Tigers (Memphis, TN) #12---Picky, picky...Memphis has changed names 5 official times: 1912 as West Tennessee State Normal School, 1925 as West Tennessee State Teachers College, 1941-57 asMemphis State College, 1957 to 1994 as Memphis State University, and 1994-present as the University of Memphis.
MICHIGAN -Wolverines (Ann Arbor, MI) #8
---20 years ago 5 freshmen filled the starting lineup for the Michigan Wolverines and forever changed the game of basketball, from clothing to above-the-rim action, on the court swagger to off the court attitude. If you haven't seen the documentary "The Fab Five," you are missing out dearly.
MICHIGAN STATE -Spartans (East Lansing, MI) #10
---Was known as Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science until Jan. 1, 1964.
MISSOURI -Tigers (Columbia, MO) #11
---The Tigers' campus is also home to the "University Of Missouri Research Reactor Center," which is the world's most powerful research nuclear reactor.
MOREHEAD STATE -Eagles (Morehead, KY)
---Morehead State was the first university in Kentucky to offer an online MBA program.
---Utah Jazz head trainer, Gary Briggs, finished his graduate work as an assistant athletic trainer at Morehead State.
NORTHERN COLORADO -Bears (Greeley, CO)
---Before the school adopted the bear as their mascot, athletes used the nickname the Teachers...and you thought St. Peter's chose poorly? The bear was said to be inspired by a bear on top of an Alaskan totem pole donated by an 1897 alum in 1914. The totem pole was kept in the University Center, but under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990, the pole was reclaimed by the Tlingit Indians in 2003.
---Ed Werder, that one NFL guy from ESPN, graduated from NoCol
NOTRE DAME -Irish (South Bend, IN)
---Official name of Notre Dame: Notre Dame du Lac, which means Our Lady of the Lake....oooookaaaayyyyy.......
OAKLAND -Golden Grizzlies (Auburn Hills, MI) #13
---If you're thinking "the Bay Area," think again. Wrong Oakland. This Oakland started as an affiliate of Michigan State University before claiming its independence in 1970.
OHIO STATE -Buckeyes (Columbus, OH) #1
--- Ohio State is one of only two universities to appear in the national championship games in both football and men's basketball in the same calendar year (vs. Florida in both contests in 2007).
OLD DOMINION -Monarchs (Norfolk, VA)
---Old Dominion University derives its name from one of Virginia's state nicknames, "The Old Dominion,"given to the state by King Charles II of England for remaining loyal to the crown during the English Civil War. The nickname serves as a reminder of ODU's royal roots.
PENN STATE -Nittany Lions (University Park, PA) #10
---You were wondering just like I was, I'm sure of it: What is a Nittany Lion? "Mountain lions had roamed on nearby Mount Nittany until the 1880s. The origin of the name "Mount Nittany" is obscure, the most commonly accepted explanation being that it is derived of Native American words (loosely pronounced as "neet-a-nee") named after the cougars that roamed the [area]." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nittany_Lion
PITTSBURGH -Panthers (Pittsburgh, PA) #1
---The Cathedral of Learning, a 42-story Gothic tower in the heart of the campus, is the tallest educational building in the Western Hemisphere and second-tallest university building in the world. The tower houses many classrooms and departments.
PRINCETON -Tigers (Princeton, NJ) #13
---Part of the prestigious Ivy League, these nerds have proven they know how to ball in tourneys past. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, NJ as the College of New Jersey, the university moved to Newark in 1747, then to Princeton in 1756 and was renamed Princeton University in 1896
PURDUE -Boilermakers (West Lafayette, IN) #3
---Campus is made up of 6 different locations. Purdue is the flagship location in what is called the Purdue University System. Revered as a top performing engineering school in the country.
RICHMOND -Spiders (Richmond, VA) #12
---Used to be the Colts. That all changed when a pitcher on the baseball team began being called The Spider by an announcer due to his lanky arms and long legs. The name became adopted by the school as a whole, and to this day Richmond is the only university that can claim the Spiders as its official nickname and mascot.
SAN DIEGO STATE -Aztecs (San Diego, CA) #2
---The university's first major sport was rowing, followed shortly by tennis, basketball, golf, croquet, and baseball.
---SDSU has never won a game in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
ST. JOHN'S -Red Storm (Queens, NY) #6
---Until 1994, the St. John's mascot was the Redmen, which referenced the red uniforms worn by the university in competition. However, the name began to be interpreted as a Native American reference in the 1960s, and was changed to the Red Storm after mounting pressure on colleges and universities to adopt names more sensitive to Native American cultures.
---St. John's also has campuses in Rome, Italy and Paris, France, as well as Staten Island, Manhattan, and Oakdale New York.
ST. PETER'S -Peacocks (Jersey City, NJ) #14
---St. Peter's currently sits on land once owned by a man named Michael Pauw, whose last name means peacock in Dutch. Pretty sure I would have gone with something else....anything else!
SYRACUSE -Orange (Syracuse, NY) #3
---The Syracuse Orange is the nickname used by Syracuse University, while teams were previously known (until 2004) as the "Orangemen" and "Orangewomen".
---Buildings on campus served as hospitals for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War and were taken over by Union troops near the war's end.
TEXAS -Longhorns (Austin, TX) #4
---Texas boasts seven museums and seventeen libraries, and operates various auxiliary research facilities, such as the JJ Pickle Research Campus and the McDonald Observatory.
---Harley Clark (head cheerleader elected by student body) introduced the Hook 'em Horns sign in 1955
TEXAS A&M -Aggies (College Station, TX) #7
---A&M was the first public institution of higher learning in Texas, opening in 1876 under the name of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas.
UCLA -Bruins (Los Angeles, CA) #7
---It's possible no other school in the nation has given the college basketball fan more than UCLA. From John Wooden (the greatest college basketball coach of all time) to the high flying, sharp shooting teams in the 90's (anyone remember Ed O'Bannon?), UCLA is synonymous with the NCAA Tournament and college basketball as a whole. As a kid, I first fell in love with this tournament because of the a fore mentioned O'Bannon-esque teams.
UCONN -Huskies (Storrs, Mansfield, CT) #3
---Originally the Aggies, UCONN became the Huskies as the school evolved and moved away from its agricultural focuses. Every Huskie is named Jonathan after the famed Jonathan Trumbull, and can often be seen greeting fans and students at sporting events while chowing down on a doggie biscuit or two.
UCSB -Gauchos (Santa Barbara, CA) #15
---In the wake of anti-Vietnam unrest at the school, then Gov. Ronald Reagan set a campus curfew that was enforced by National Guard troops during the 1971–72 school year.
UNC -Tar Heels (Chapel Hill, NC) #2---Another mascot name mystery being solved for you: The university's teams are nicknamed the "Tar Heels" in reference to North Carolina's (the state) 18th century prominence as a tar and pitch producer.
---We all owe UNC and Dean Smith for finding and giving us The Greatest to Ever Play the Game, His Airness, Air Jordan, Mike, Michael Jordan....just wish he was a better person, and that he would've let my Utah Jazz have just one of those NBA titles....forever bitter about the push off.
UNC ASHEVILLE -Bulldogs (Asheville, NC) #16
--- UNCA is the only designated liberal arts institution in the University of North Carolina systems. Approximately 3,600 enrolled students.
UNLV -Rebels (Las Vegas, NV) #8
---UNLV became a school in 1957 under the name Southern Division of the University of Nevada. The school adopted its basketball program in 1958.
UTAH STATE -Aggies (Logan, UT) #12
---Founded in 1888 as Utah's agricultural college, the university now offers 176 bachelor's degrees, 97 master's degrees, and 38 doctoral degrees. It is organized into eight colleges at its Logan campus and other satellite campuses throughout the state.
UTSA -Road Runners (San Antonio, TX) #16
---Fiesta UTSA, an annual event held in April, began in 1978. It includes music, a jalapeño eating contest, a watermelon spitting contest, a dunk tank, and other activities. Fiesta UTSA features dozens of booths set up under the Sombrilla in a carnival atmosphere.
VANDERBILT -Commodores (Nashville, TN) #5
---Vanderbilt's campus is designated as a national arboretum, with more than 300 tree and shrub varieties.
VCU -Rams (Richmond, VA) #11---Interesting that the city of Richmond, VA is represented twice in the NCAA Tourney this year. VCU and Richmond both made it into the final field of 64, though VCU had to beat USC in the play in game as part of the inaugural First Four mini-tournament.
---Enrollment is over 32,000 students.
VILLANOVA -Wildcats (Philadelphia, PA) #9
---Named for Saint Thomas of Villanova (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_of_Villanova), the school is the oldest Catholic university in the State of Pennsylvania.
WASHINGTON -Huskies (Seattle, WA) #7
---Receives more federal research funding than any other public university in America and the second most among all universities and colleges.
WEST VIRGINIA -Mountaineers (Morgantown, WV) #5
--- The mascot is played by a student chosen during the final two home games of the men’s basketball season. The student receives a scholarship, a tailor-made buckskin suit with coonskin hat, and a period rifle and powder horn, which is usually fired at sporting events.
---Coincidentally, the Mountaineers are coached by former WV player Bob Huggins, who was also born in Morgantown.
WISCONSIN -Badgers (Madison, WI) #4---Actual full name is University of Wisconsin-Madison. Campus also houses 3 national landmarks: http://www.wisc.edu/about/history/landmarks.php
WOFFORD -Terriers (Spartanburg, SC) #14
---Wofford College students and professors take the month of January off every year for what they call an “Interim Period.” During the month long hiatus from the school, students and employees are encouraged to travel, work, or volunteer in areas reflecting their choice of study or expertise. (http://www.wofford.edu/interim/)
XAVIER -Musketeers (Cincinnati, OH) #6
---Xavier actually has two recognized mascots: Traditional: D'Artagnan, the Musketeer, is the university's official mascot and is the origin of the school's nickname. Comedic: the Blue Blob, a furry creature who roams the sidelines and student sections, is the more modern and entertaining representative. http://www.blackburnreview.com/storage/xavier-blue-blob.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1295052762786
