GRAND FORKS, N.D.
In trying to schedule games with NCAA Division I opponents, the University of North Dakota is finding resistance to its Fighting Sioux nickname.
UND is moving to NCAA Division I athletics beginning with an exploratory year in 2007-2008. The Sioux will leave Division II altogether starting with the 2008-2009 season.
The University of Minnesota has said it will not schedule UND in sports other than men’s and women’s hockey because of the nickname. An official at the University of Iowa has expressed a similar position for that institution.
“We have a policy that came out several years ago indicating that we would not play any university outside of the Big Ten Conference who had a Native American mascot,” says Iowa athletic director Gary Barta.
“Up until now, North Dakota hasn’t been Division I. I don’t think there’s been any matchup that has brought it to the forefront,” he says.
UND athletic director Tom Buning says the school last year was hoping to set up a game to play Iowa in women’s basketball, but talks broke down when Iowa learned about the policy against playing schools with American Indian mascots or nicknames.
