Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens
Encyclopedia
The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens represent the athletic
teams at the University of Delaware
. The Blue Hens compete in Division I in the NCAA. Although there are currently 23 varsity teams at Delaware, the University is reducing the number to 21.
Division-I (FCS for football). Delaware is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association
(CAA) in all sports. Delaware was a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference in football until the 2006 season.
The Blue Hens have won four CAA Championships since joining in 2001: one each for the women's 2004 field hockey team, the 2007 men's lacrosse team, the 2007 women's volleyball team, and the 2010 football team
(shared with William & Mary
). (Unofficially, the women's rowing team has won the CAA title four times since 2001, placing second the other two times.)
In January 2011, UD announced that men's cross country and outdoor track & field teams would be reclassified to club status, while women's golf would be added.
, the Delaware Blue Hens were the runners up in the NCAA I-AA National Championship game, but were defeated by defending champion Appalachian State
. In 2010
they were once again runners-up, that time to Eastern Washington
.
Former head football coaches Bill Murray
, Dave Nelson
and Harold "Tubby" Raymond are College Football Hall of Fame inductees. Delaware is one of only two schools to have three straight head coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (Georgia Tech
is the other).
for the first time in its history.
. The Fightin' Blue Hens are a member of the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League
, which plays at the American Collegiate Hockey Association
Division I level.
. YoUDee is a Blue Hen Chicken
, after the team names and the state bird of Delaware
. YoUDee was the 2002 UCA National Mascot Champion, was elected into the mascot hall of fame in 2006, and was the 2009 UCA Open Division Mascot National Champion.
would have their first game against each other, the game being in the first round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. The game was played on November 23, with University of Delaware winning 44-7. Delaware was the victor in the teams' first regular season match-up in September 2009. Future contests are scheduled for 2012-2014.
College athletics
College athletics refers primarily to sports and athletic competition organized and funded by institutions of tertiary education . In the United States, college athletics is a two-tiered system. The first tier includes the sports that are sanctioned by one of the collegiate sport governing bodies...
teams at the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
. The Blue Hens compete in Division I in the NCAA. Although there are currently 23 varsity teams at Delaware, the University is reducing the number to 21.
Sports
UD varsity sports compete in the NCAANational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division-I (FCS for football). Delaware is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
(CAA) in all sports. Delaware was a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference in football until the 2006 season.
The Blue Hens have won four CAA Championships since joining in 2001: one each for the women's 2004 field hockey team, the 2007 men's lacrosse team, the 2007 women's volleyball team, and the 2010 football team
2010 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team
The 2010 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware in the 2010 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football season. They played their home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware...
(shared with William & Mary
2010 William & Mary Tribe football team
The 2010 William & Mary Tribe football team represents the College of William & Mary in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football for the 2010 season. William & Mary competes as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association under head...
). (Unofficially, the women's rowing team has won the CAA title four times since 2001, placing second the other two times.)
In January 2011, UD announced that men's cross country and outdoor track & field teams would be reclassified to club status, while women's golf would be added.
Football
Football is the most popular and most successful sport at Delaware. The Fighting Blue Hens football teams have won six national titles, including the 2003 NCAA I-AA Championship. In 20072007 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team
The 2007 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football in its seventh season as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association , and the football program's...
, the Delaware Blue Hens were the runners up in the NCAA I-AA National Championship game, but were defeated by defending champion Appalachian State
2007 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team
The 2007 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team represented Appalachian State University in the college football season of 2007–2008. The team was coached by Jerry Moore and the Mountaineers played their home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, North Carolina.The football team competes in...
. In 2010
2010 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team
The 2010 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware in the 2010 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football season. They played their home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware...
they were once again runners-up, that time to Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington Eagles football
The Eastern Washington Eagles football team represents Eastern Washington University in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
.
Former head football coaches Bill Murray
William D. Murray
William D. "Bill" Murray was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at University of Delaware from 1940 to 1942 and from 1946 to 1950 and at Duke University from 1951 to 1965, compiling a career college football record of 142–67–11...
, Dave Nelson
David M. Nelson
David Moir Nelson was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, author, and authority on college football playing rules...
and Harold "Tubby" Raymond are College Football Hall of Fame inductees. Delaware is one of only two schools to have three straight head coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
is the other).
Lacrosse
Delaware's only non-football NCAA National Championship came in 1983 for Women's Division I Lacrosse. The 2007 men's lacrosse program reached the final four of the NCAA Tournament2007 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
The 2007 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was held from May 12 through May 28, 2007. This was the 37th annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament...
for the first time in its history.
Soccer
The men's soccer team played in the 1968 and 1970 editions of the College Cup.Men's Ice Hockey
The men's ice hockey team is a club level college ice hockey program that plays its home games at the Fred Rust Ice ArenaFred Rust Ice Arena
The Fred Rust Ice Arena or University of Delaware Ice Arena multi-purpose arena on the campus of The University of Delaware located in Newark, Delaware. The Facility houses two ice sheets the main ice arena, the Fred Rust Ice Arena, is a 2,500-seat regulation Olympic sized ice arena on the UD campus...
. The Fightin' Blue Hens are a member of the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League
Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League
The Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League was created in 2007. The league is made up of 5 teams in the Northeast and mid atlantic region of the US. The Teams play at the ACHA Division I level.-Format:...
, which plays at the American Collegiate Hockey Association
American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....
Division I level.
Nickname
The athletic teams at Delaware are known as the Fightin' Blue Hens with a mascot named YoUDeeYoUDee
YoUDee is the mascot of the University of Delaware. He is a "fighting Blue Hen" and is named after the state bird of Delaware. According to the University of Delaware, YoUDee's colors are Gold and Blue because his great-great-great-grandfather was awarded the Gold Medal for Valor during the...
. YoUDee is a Blue Hen Chicken
Blue Hen Chicken
The Blue Hen of Delaware is a variety of chicken that was adopted on April 14, 1939, as the state bird of Delaware. The University of Delaware mascot, known as YoUDee, is also modeled after the bird....
, after the team names and the state bird of Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
. YoUDee was the 2002 UCA National Mascot Champion, was elected into the mascot hall of fame in 2006, and was the 2009 UCA Open Division Mascot National Champion.
Intrastate competition
In November 2007, it was announced that the University of Delaware and Delaware State UniversityDelaware State University
Delaware State University , is an American historically black, public university located in Dover, Delaware, and there are two satellite campuses located in Wilmington, Delaware, and Georgetown, Delaware...
would have their first game against each other, the game being in the first round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. The game was played on November 23, with University of Delaware winning 44-7. Delaware was the victor in the teams' first regular season match-up in September 2009. Future contests are scheduled for 2012-2014.