University of North Dakota football
| North Dakota Fighting Hawks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| First season | 1894 | ||
| Athletic director | Brian Faison | ||
| Head coach |
Kyle "Bubba" Schweigert 3rd year, 21–14 (.600) |
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| Stadium | Alerus Center | ||
| Seating capacity | 12,283 | ||
| Field surface | AstroTurf Magic Carpet II | ||
| Location | Grand Forks, North Dakota | ||
| Conference | Big Sky | ||
| All-time record | 627–390–30 (.613) | ||
| Bowl record | 3–0 (1.000) | ||
| Claimed nat'l titles | 1 | ||
| Conference titles | 26 | ||
| Colors | Kelly Green and White |
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| Fight song |
Fight On Sioux It's For You, North Dakota U Stand Up and Cheer |
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| Marching band | Pride of the North | ||
| Website | UNDSports.com | ||
The North Dakota Fighting Hawks represent the University of North Dakota, competing in the Big Sky Conference in the NCAA Division I's Football Championship Subdivision. From 1973 to 2008, they played in the NCAA's NCAA Division II, winning the National Championship in 2001. From 1955 to 1972 they competed in the NCAA's College Division where they participated in and won 3 Bowl Games.
North Dakota fielded its first football team in 1894. In 1922, they were one of the 9 charter members of the North Central Conference, where they competed until 2008 when they upgraded all of their athletic programs to the Division I level and joined the Great West Conference. They joined the Big Sky Conference in 2012. UND has won 26 conference championships, including 14 outright titles. They have qualified for NCAA postseason play 17 times, most recently in 2016. North Dakota was ineligible for post season play during its transition to Division I from 2008 to 2011. UND is one of the winningest college football programs. Of the 126 schools currently classified in the Football Championship Subdivision, only 12 have won more games than North Dakota.
The University of North Dakota football program experienced moderate success from its inception in 1894. In the first 33 years of the program, the Flickertails won 109 games against just 87 losses, and had three undefeated seasons in 1896, 1899, and 1903. But it was in 1928 when Charles A. "Jack" West arrived on campus in Grand Forks that would transform North Dakota into one of the most successful college football programs in the nation. West came to UND from South Dakota State, where he spent 9 successful seasons that included 3 NCC championships. West immediately turned around what was at the time a mediocre football program at UND, winning NCC titles in his first four seasons at the helm. Over the course of 15 seasons, West amassed a record of 89–35–6, won a total of 8 NCC Championships, and retired as the winningest coach in North Dakota history, a distinction he would hold for 57 years. North Dakota experienced just three losing seasons during West's 15 years as head coach, and won 9 games in a season on three occasions. West did not coach the team in 1942, and the University did not field a team during the war years of 1943 and 1944. His final season was 1945. It was during this era in 1930, that the University adopted the nickname Fighting Sioux for all of its sports teams. West also served as Athletic Director for North Dakota and was inducted into the UND Hall of Fame in 1975.
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