Fighting Hawks is new University of North Dakota nickname

University of North Dakota backers have selected Fighting Hawks as the school’s new nickname. The school made the announcement at 10 a.m. Wednesday. That name was dropped in 2012 under intense pressure from Native Americans as well as the NCAA.

Voters, including students, faculty, staff, retirees, alumni, donors and season ticket holders, chose “Fighting Hawks” over “Roughriders” after a third runoff vote conducted from November 12 until midnight on Monday, the university’s president, Robert Kelley, said.

The pursuit of a new nickname for the University of North Dakota is about to end. Meanwhile, the teams’ interlocking “ND” logo will remain until a new logo is developed, expected by mid-summer 2016.

In June 2012, the moniker and logo were finally retired, but the university punished itself by prohibiting a new name until 2015.

In May, a committee began debating about 1,200 nicknames that had been approved by a consultant after a monthlong campaign to solicit suggestions from the public. The group gradually whittled the list to 15, then seven, and then the final five. Three options emerged from an online vote last month: Fighting Hawks, Roughriders and Nodaks.

The university went with no nickname as part of a transition.

“We understand that that absolutely represents a significant expense”, Walton said.