Eastern Michigan Eagles | |
---|---|
University | Eastern Michigan University |
Conference |
Mid-American Conference Colonial Athletic Association (women's rowing) |
NCAA | Division I |
Athletic director | Scott Wetherbee |
Location | Ypsilanti, Michigan |
Varsity teams | 21 |
Football stadium | Rynearson Stadium |
Basketball arena | EMU Convocation Center |
Baseball stadium | Oestrike Stadium |
Natatorium | Jones Natatorium |
Other arenas | Bowen Field House |
Mascot | Swoop |
Nickname | Eagles |
Fight song | Eagles Fight Song |
Colors | Green and White |
Website | www |
The Eastern Michigan Eagles, formerly known as the Hurons, are the athletic teams for Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States. The Eagles compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level as members of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The only exception is the women's rowing program, which is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. Altogether, the Eagles have won three NCAA Division II national championships and 13 NAIA Division I national championships in five different sports (baseball, men's cross country, men's swimming and diving, men's indoor track and field, and men's outdoor track and field); moreover, EMU has been NCAA Division I national runner-up twice. In 1940, the men's cross country team finished second to Indiana University at the national meet hosted by Michigan State University.
The Eagles have also won the Reese Trophy, given to the best overall men's athletic program in the MAC, four times, most recently in 2008. EMU was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1950 to 1961, and has been a member of the MAC since 1972.
The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School. It wasn't until the school was Michigan State Normal College when the school's first nicknames (then Michigan State Normal College), were the "Normalites" and "Men from Ypsi". The "Hurons" first came into being as the result of a contest sponsored by the Men's Union in 1929. On Oct. 31 of that year, a three-person committee, composed of Dr. Clyde Ford, Dr. Elmer Lyman and Professor Bert Peet, selected the name "Hurons" from the many entries in the contest. The name was submitted by two students, Gretchen Borst and George Hanner. The runner-up name in that contest was Pioneers. The "Hurons" was adopted in 1929. EMU was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1950 to 1961, and eventually joined the Mid-American Conference in 1972. The university switched from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I athletics in the mid-1970s. Since the 1991 season, Eastern Michigan University athletic teams have gone by the nickname "Eagles."