The Pirate (mascot)
| East Carolina Pirates | |
|---|---|
 |
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| University | East Carolina University |
| Conference | The American |
| NCAA | Division I/FBS |
| Athletic director | Vacant |
| Location | Greenville, North Carolina |
| Varsity teams | 20 (9 men's, 11 women's) |
| Football stadium | Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum |
| Baseball stadium | Clark-LeClair Stadium |
| Mascot | PeeDee the Pirate |
| Nickname | Pirates |
| Fight song | E.C. Victory |
| Colors | Purple and Gold |
| Website | www |
The East Carolina Pirates are the athletic teams that represent East Carolina University (ECU), located in Greenville, North Carolina. All varsity-level sports teams except for women's lacrosse participate at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for football) level as a member of the American Athletic Conference. The women's lacrosse team, newly launched for the 2018 season (2017–18 school year), is playing its inaugural season as a Division I independent before becoming a charter member of The American's new women's lacrosse league in the 2019 season. The school became an NCAA member in 1961.
Pirates have long been associated with the North Carolina coast. One of the most famous pirates, Blackbeard, resided in the North Carolina coastal communities of Bath, Beaufort and Ocracoke. The modern day mascot is based on the description of Blackbeard. Many other pirates used the shallow coast and Outer Banks to evade capture. ECU officially became the Pirates in 1934. In 1983, a contest was developed to name the Pirates. Children from all over Pitt County submitted their ideas, and Pee Dee the Pirate was chosen. The Pee Dee River is a river along the North Carolina and South Carolina border where pirates often set up camp. The name was less than popular with ECU students, and in 1985 Chancellor Howell decided on his own to drop "Pee Dee" and be known only as "The Pirates". People still use the terms Pee Dee and Petey as the terms for The Pirates, and PeeDee is still the name of their mascot.
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