The Indiana State University Sycamores are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Indiana State University. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference, past conference memberships include the Indiana Collegiate Conference and the Midwestern Conference.

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History

Origin of 'Sycamores' nickname

Until 1921, the then-Indiana State Normal School athletic teams were unofficially called the "Fighting Teachers" in the media. A contest was held to come up with a new name for the teams, and in January 1922, it was announced that "Sycamores" had won a popular vote of the student body. The nickname has been used by Indiana State ever since. ^[1]

Baseball

Basketball

Football

Rivalry

Indiana State University's rivalries include the Illinois State Redbirds, cross-state Ball State Cardinals (formerly a branch of Indiana State) with whom the Sycamores football team competed for the Victory Bell, the Evansville Purple Aces and the nearby Eastern Illinois Panthers.

Athletic bands

Indiana State's marching band is called the Marching Sycamores. The marching band performs at home football games and annually, is the feature band at the Brickyard 400.

There are two alternating bands that play at men's and women's basketball games. They are known as the Blue and White Basketball Bands.

Mascots

During the 1950s and 60s, the sycamore tree itself was used as Indiana State's mascot. However, as a tree does not lend itself well to an athletic mascot, especially considering Indiana State's in-state rivalries with the Ball State Cardinals and Butler Bulldogs, the university created an Indian mascot named Chief Quabachi in 1969. The university stopped using Chief Quabachi as a mascot in 1989 after complaints were raised about the use of a Native American caricature. ^[2]

For six years, Indiana State had no mascot, until in 1995, a blue-and-white fox named Sycamore Sam was developed and continues to serve as Indiana State's mascot. Even with Sycamore Sam, ISU students refer to themselves as fighting trees.

Notable Athletes & Coaches

John Wooden (Basketball Coach), Larry Bird (Basketball), Carl Nicks (Basketball), Bruce Baumgartner (Freestyle Wrestling), Kurt Thomas (Gymnastics), Zane Smith (Baseball), Wally Johnson (Baseball), Benita Edds (Olympic Archery), Vencie Glenn (Football)

References

1. Essay on History and Heritage - Traditions
2. A Short History of the Fighting Sycamore Name