Nebraska–Omaha Mavericks

Nebraska–Omaha Mavericks
University	University of Nebraska at Omaha
Conference(s)	Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association*, Western Collegiate Hockey Association *The Summit League (beginning 2012)
NCAA	Division II, Division I (ice hockey), Division I (All sports, beginning 2012)
Athletics director	Trev Alberts
Location	Omaha, NE
Varsity teams	15
Football stadium	Al F. Caniglia Field
Basketball arena	Omaha Civic Auditorium
Other arenas	Qwest Center Omaha, HPER Building
Mascot	Durango
Nickname	Mavericks
Fight song	UNO Fite
Colors	Crimson and Black
Homepage	UNO Athletics

The Nebraska–Omaha Mavericks (also called the UNO Mavericks) are the sports teams of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. They participate in the NCAA's Division II and in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association, except in ice hockey. The hockey program competes in Division I as a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.^[1] UNO will be moving to the NCAA Division I Summit League beginning with the 2012 season.

The women's soccer and softball teams have won the NCAA's Division II's national championships, as have the wrestling team, who are seven-time national champions (1991, 2004-2006 and 2009-2011).

Formerly a long-time member of the North Central Conference, UNO joined the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association on July 1, 2008 after the NCC ceased operations. In March 2011, the school announced its intentions to move from Division II to Division I and join The Summit League. In the process it would abandon its football and wrestling programs to better fit with the sports sponsored by The Summit League and to maintain Title IX compliance. Wrestling had been the school's most successful sport with national championships in 1991, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011.^[2] Football also had a long, successful history with multiple conference championships (1983-1984, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004-2007) and several NCAA Division II tournament appearances. Marlin Briscoe, first black starting quarterback in modern Professional Football (the American Football League), attended and played for UNO from 1964-1967. UNO will add men's soccer (will become the only school in the University of Nebraska system to sponsor men's soccer) and men's golf, both of which are sponsored by The Summit League. Hockey will remain in the NCAA Division I Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

Sports Teams

Men's sports Baseball Basketball Football (* 2010-11 was final season) Hockey Tennis Wrestling (* 2010-11 was final season) Soccer (* Set to begin play in 2012) Golf (* Set to begin play in 2012)

Women's sports Basketball Cross Country Golf Soccer Softball Swimming and Diving Tennis Track Volleyball

Ice Hockey

Main article: Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks men's ice hockey

The men's ice hockey program competes at the Division I as a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The men's ice hockey program reached the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament in 2006 and 2011. The Mavericks are currently coached by Dean Blais.^[3]

Wrestling

Wrestling has also been a top sport for the Mavericks, winning the Division II championships in 1991, 2004-2006 and 2009-2011.^[4] However, in 2011 the school made the decision to cancel the wrestling team just a few hours after it had won its third consecutive NCAA team title.^[5]

Championships

Conference champions

Baseball – 1979, 1981, 2005, 2008*
Basketball, Men's – 1979, 1984, 2004, 2005, 2008*, 2010
Basketball, Women's – 1980, 1982, 1982
Football – 1983¹, 1984¹, 1996, 1998², 2000, 2004, 2005³, 2006⁴ 2007*
Golf – 2002, 2003, 2006
Soccer – 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006
Softball – 1981, 1985, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2008*
Swimming and Diving – 2005, 2008*
Tennis – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008*
Track – 1979 (outdoor), 1981 (indoor)
Volleyball – 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1996⁵, 1997⁵, 2000⁶

* Final NCC Champions (only 7 competing teams in NCC in 2008)
¹Co-champion with North Dakota State
²Co-champion with Northern Colorado
³4-way Co-champions with Minnesota-Duluth, North Dakota and South Dakota
⁴Co-champion with North Dakota
⁵Co-champion with Augustana
⁶3-way Co-champion with Augustana and South Dakota State

NCAA champions

Softball – 1975, 2001
Soccer – 2005
Volleyball – 1996
Wrestling – 1991, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011

Previous mascots

From 1939 to 1971, the UNO teams were the "Indians," the switch to "Mavericks" occurred in the summer of 1971. A resolution, passed by an 18-7 vote of the student senate, a 27-0 vote of the university senate, and approved by the university president, called for UNO to "discontinue use of the name 'Indian' for its athletic teams, abolish "Ouampi" as a school mascot and end the misuse of the Native American culture at university activities, such as homecoming and Ma-ie Day. Prior to 1939, the teams were known as the Cardinals.^[6]

See also

• Nebraska–Omaha Mavericks men's ice hockey

References

1. ^ "WCHA adds Nebraska-Omaha and Bemidji State". Omaha World-Herald. June 26, 2009. http://insidecollegehockey.com/inch/2009/06/26/wcha-adds-nebraska-omaha-and-bemidji-state/. Retrieved October 21, 2010. 
2. ^ http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/yb/156765564
3. ^ Wodon, Adam (June 13, 2009). "Former North Dakota Champion Returns with UNO". College Hockey News. http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2009/06/13_blais.php. Retrieved October 20, 2010. 
4. ^ White, Rob (Saturday March 13, 2010). "Mavericks lock down second straight title". Omaha World-Herald. http://www.omaha.com/article/20100313/MAVS/703139788/-1. Retrieved January 23, 2011. 
5. ^ Staff (March 13, 2011). "Nebraska-Omaha to make jump to D-I". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=6212338. Retrieved April 24, 2011. 
6. ^ UNO Alumni.org - excerpt from Summer 1971 yearbook, Tomahawk