The U (Utah)

The U is a nickname used for several universities and their sports teams, especially by the local community, and for those with prominent letter U logos. One of these institutions with a long history in this regard is the University of Utah. This name spurs from the fact that it is one of the only universities in the nation that begins with the letter "U" and can be known by the title, the U of U. To further emphasize its use, rising high above the university on Mount Van Cott of the Wasatch Range, located directly behind campus, rests a massive concrete U cast into its side. This emblem has existed at this location since 1907 and stands as a beacon to the Salt Lake Valley. The "U" is lit up for each athletic event and flashes after a victory. In response to the concrete U on the mountainside, the rival university to the south, Brigham Young University, created their own display, portraying a block "Y" overlooking Utah Valley in Provo. Today the University of Utah is prominently known as "the U" and BYU is known as "the Y", likely having to do with their mountainside marquees as well as the letter on the side of their helmets.