Ripon Red Hawks
| Ripon Red Hawks | |
|---|---|
| University | Ripon College (Wisconsin) |
| Conference | Midwest Conference |
| NCAA | Division III |
| Athletic director | Julie Johnson |
| Location | Ripon, WI |
| Football stadium | Ingalls Field |
| Basketball arena | J.M. Storzer Center |
| Other arenas | Sadoff Field |
| Mascot | Rally the Red Hawk |
| Nickname | Red Hawks |
| Fight song | Ripon Fight Song |
| Colors | Red and White |
| Website | www |
The Ripon Red Hawks are the athletic teams of Ripon College. A total of 21 Red Hawks athletic teams compete in NCAA Division III.
Early Ripon College teams in athletics -- and in other activities, such as debate -- were referred to as the Crimson or Crimson and White. Crimson warriors, Crimson-clad men, and even Crimson tide were popular descriptions, just as opposing teams were referred to as Maroons and Blue and Gold or Navy, in the style of the times.
It is widely believed that the name "Redmen" was adopted because of Donald "Red" Martin, who starred in football as a quarterback, and in basketball and track from 1926-1929, and who became a coach of freshman football and basketball in 1930. However, a College Days article of February 7, 1928 indicates that the term Redmen had been used for "several years," and indeed, sportswriters in the Days used the term "Redmen" alongside "Crimson" as early as 1923.
It is commonly asserted that "Redmen" derived from "Red's men," following the convention that referred to teams by their coach's name--usually the coach's last name--"Rippe's men" or "Kolfmen," for instance, after coaches of 1924-1930. In fact, College Days articles can be found which refer to the Martinmen for Martin's basketball teams. Coach Doehling was the athletic director and coach of football and other sports when Martin was a player and coach, and those teams were often called the Doehlingmen or Doehlingites. According to George Miller, however, Coach Doehling made his objections to this practice quite clear.
A survey of the Days does not show a direct link from Red Martin to Redman (which, as stated earlier, was used in Days headlines before Martin was a student). During Martin's years, Crimson, Redmen, Doehlingmen, Doehlingites, the Reds and other phrases were used interchangeably, although the term Redmen appeared to gain in use over the term Crimson in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The Days referred to Martin as the Ripon "Redhead" and used his nickname, Red, frequently--a common practice then. The Days did not call the team "Red's men" while Martin was a player and there are only one or two instances of that while he was a coach. No published source has been found that directly links Red's men to Redmen. "Red" Martin's popularity as athlete and coach may have contributed to the increased use of the nickname Redmen, although, since Coach Doehling was the dominant figure in athletics of that period, it is likely that he influenced the adoption of the name, too. Redmen probably referred, however, simply to the traditional school colors and the name Crimson.
After attention began to be paid to women's athletic activities on campus, some problems occurred with adapting the Redman name to women's teams which might not have occurred with the use of Crimson. No satisfactory nickname for women's teams seems to have been found. "Redwomen" and "Lady Red" were both used in the 1980s and 1990s.
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