Howard Bison

Intercollegiate sports teams representing Howard University

Athletic teams representing Howard University

Howard Bison

University| Howard University
Conference| MEAC (primary)
NEC (m & w golf, w lacrosse, m & w soccer, m & w swimming)
NCAA| Division I (FCS)
Athletic director| Kery Davis
Location| Washington, D.C.
Varsity teams| 21
Football stadium| William H. Greene Stadium
Basketball arena| Burr Gymnasium
Softball stadium| Washington Nationals Youth Academy
Other venues| WTEF-East Capitol Campus
Mascot| Bison
Nickname| Bison
Colors| Navy blue and white[1]

Website| hubison.com

The Howard Bison and Lady Bison are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Howard University, located in Washington, D.C. The Bison compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s and Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)[2] and are members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for most sports. On July 16, 2015, the Athletics Department unveiled new logos, replacing the previous logo that was nearly identical to that used by the National Football League's Buffalo Bills.[3]

## Sponsored sports

[edit]

Men's sports  | Women's sports

|

Basketball | Basketball
Cross country | Bowling
Football | Cross country
Golf | Golf
Soccer | Lacrosse
Swimming and diving | Soccer
Tennis | Softball
Track and field† | Swimming and diving
| Tennis
| Track and field†
| Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

A member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Howard University currently sponsors teams in nine men's and 12 women's NCAA sanctioned sports. Men's and women's golf became the newest varsity sports in the 2020–21 school year, with six years of program funding guaranteed by NBA superstar Stephen Curry.[4]

Howard University announced in July 2020 that it would join the Northeast Conference (NEC) as an associate member in six sports. Men's and women's swimming joined in 2020–21, with men's and women's soccer, women's lacrosse and women's golf following in 2021–22.[5] Howard added men's golf to its NEC membership in 2022–23 after the MEAC and NEC entered into a partnership in baseball and golf that provided NEC associate membership to all MEAC members with teams in those sports.[6]

In 2022, Howard University signed a 20-year partnership with Nike's Michael Jordan Brand. The partnership aims to elevate Howard's athletic department. Howard is the second HBCU to partner with the Jordan Brand.[7]

As of 2023, Howard is the only HBCU that houses competitive swimming and dive teams.[8]

### Soccer

[edit]

As the only team in the MEAC playing men's soccer, the Bison's men's soccer team competed as an independent for many years, but the Bison became an affiliate member of the Sun Belt Conference when the conference resumed men's soccer after a 20-year absence in 2014. Over the years, Howard has had an up and down history, with NCAA championship seasons and other years seeing little success; the 2013 team had only one win in eighteen games.[9]

Bison teams qualified for the NCAA tournament in 1962, 1963, 1970†, 1971†, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1988, 1989, and 1997. In six College Cup appearances, they were NCAA Champions in 1974, runners-up in 1988, third in 1972, and fourth in 1975; additional first (1971) and third (1970) place finishes were vacated by the NCAA; their vacation of the 1971 title was the first vacated Division I title in the history of the NCAA.[10][11]

As of the 2021–2022 season, the men's and women's soccer teams are no longer affiliate members of the Sun Belt Conference, and are now affiliate members of the Northeast Conference.[12]

## Athletic facilities

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William H. Greene Stadium is a 7,086-seat multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C., in the United States, which opened in 1926. It is home to the Howard University Bison football, soccer, track & field, and Women's lacrosse teams. Originally called Howard Stadium, it was renamed William H. Greene Stadium in 1986 in honor of William H. Greene, M.D., a Washington, D.C., physician.[13]

## Marching band

[edit]

Further information: "Showtime" Marching Band

Howard's marching band is known as the "Showtime" Marching Band and it also features auxiliaries, the "Ooh La La!" dance team and the "Flashy Flags" color guard. The band has performed at several NFL games, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Honda Battle of the Bands, and the 56th Inaugural Parade for former U.S. President Barack Obama. The marching band's mission is to serve as a Howard ambassador and Bison athletics supporter.[14]

## Honors

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### Division I National Championships

[edit]

Men's Soccer – 1971 (Vacated) See Note

Men's Soccer – 1974[15]

* Note: Howard initially won the 1971 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship. The Championship was later vacated by the NCAA[16] on the grounds that two Howard players had played amateur soccer in Trinidad, exhausting their eligibility, and that two others had not taken entrance exams, required by the NCAA, to predict a grade point average of at least 1.6. Howard University argued that the eligibility rules were vague and discriminated against foreigners, and that the players had all maintained grade-point averages of 3.0 or higher in college, but the NCAA did not reverse the ruling.[17] Although the NCAA stripped Howard of their first title, the university still respects and honors the accomplishments of their 1971 National Championship title team.

## Rivals

[edit]

Main article: The Real HU (Howard-Hampton)

Main article: Howard–Morgan State football rivalry

Howard's top rival is Hampton University. The two schools call their intense rivalry Battle of "The Real HU".[18][19] [20][21][22]

Howard also has a strong rivalry with Morgan State University.[23][24][25]

Another of Howard's historic rivals is Morehouse College, more popularly known as the Howard/ "Spel-House" rivalry due to Morehouse's close association with the all-women's HBCU Spelman College. This rivalry is not often played because Morehouse is an NCAA Division II athletic program, while Howard is NCAA Division I.[26][27][28]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Howard Bison Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Identity Guide (PDF). December 13, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
2. ^ "The Official Website of NCAA Championships". Ncaa.com. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
3. ^ "Howard Unveils New Athletics Logo". HUBison.com. July 16, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
4. ^ "Stephen Curry Partners With Howard University to Launch First Division I Golf Program" (Press release). Howard Bison. August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
5. ^ "Six Howard University Athletics Programs Join the Northeast Conference As Associate Members" (Press release). Northeast Conference. July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
6. ^ "NEC & MEAC Announce Three-Sport Associate Member Partnership" (Press release). Northeast Conference. July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
7. ^ "Howard University Welcomes Jordan Brand to the Family".
8. ^ Howard swimming daily cover Sports Illustrated
9. ^ "Howard University Bison". Hubison.com. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
10. ^ "Louisville isn't the 1st NCAA champion to vacate a championship -- here are the rest". February 20, 2018.
11. ^ Williams, Jack (December 6, 2016). "Howard's history-making men's soccer champions needed to be twice as good". the Guardian. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
12. ^ "Six Howard University Sports to Join the Northeast Conference as Associate Members". July 6, 2020.
13. ^ "William H. Greene Memorial Stadium" (PDF). Footsteps of Achievement: Historic Kappa Heritage Trail (Report). Washington, D.C.: Humanities Council of Washington, D.C. 2010. pp. 12–13. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
14. ^ "Howard University Bands - Pep - Marching - Concert". coas.howard.edu. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
15. ^ "DI Men's Soccer". NCAA.com.
16. ^ "Division I Men's Soccer Championship History". NCAA.com. February 25, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
17. ^ Wahl, Grant (February 24, 1997). "Men on a mission: The 1974 Howard University soccer team wanted to win more than an NCAA title". SI.com. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
18. ^ "Column: Historically, Who's the Real HU?". thehilltoponline.com. September 16, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
19. ^ "Howard and Hampton reprise the battle for the 'real HU'". Washington Post. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
20. ^ "Howard-Hampton: the real 'HU' rivalry continues – News4usonline". news4usonline.com. September 22, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
21. ^ "HU VS HU: Nation's Classic To Highlight The Greatest HBCU Rivalry". thehilltoponline.com. September 17, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
22. ^ "Who is the real HU? 100 year old football rivalry kicks off". Retrieved August 3, 2018.
23. ^ Wilbon, Michael (November 21, 1980). "Howard-Morgan State: The Game". Retrieved August 3, 2018 - via www.washingtonpost.com.
24. ^ "Rivalry And Revelry". October 2, 2005. Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
25. ^ "Howard & Morgan Take Rivalry North to a Big Stage in the Big Apple - Afro". afro.com. September 25, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
26. ^ "With rivalry renewed, Morehouse and Howard wrap up four-year series at RFK Stadium". Washington Post. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
27. ^ Crockett Jr., Stephen A. (September 13, 2014). "Howard vs. Morehouse: A Rivalry for the Ages". Retrieved August 3, 2018.
28. ^ Seymour Jr., Add. "Morehouse and Howard Renew Rivalry in the 2011 Nation's Football Classic in Washington, D.C." (Press release). Retrieved August 2, 2018.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Howard University athletics.

* Official website

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Howard University

Academics|

| Colleges|

* Arts and Sciences
* Business
* Communications
* Dentistry
* Divinity
* Education
* Engineering, Architecture & Computer Sciences
* Graduate School
* Law
* Medicine
* Nursing & Allied Health Sciences
* Pharmacy
* Social Work

|

Research|

* Moorland–Spingarn Research Center
* Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center
* Journal of Negro Education

People|

* Oliver Otis Howard
* Wayne A. I. Frederick
* Notable faculty

Athletics|

| Sports|

* Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
* Men's basketball
* Women's basketball
* Football
* Soccer

|

Facilities|

* Burr Gymnasium
* Greene Stadium

People|

* Kenny Blakeney
* Phillip Gyau
* David Oliver
* Larry Scott

Broadcasting|

* Howard University Television (WHUT)
* Howard University Radio (96.3 WHUR)

Campus|

* Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel
* Founders Library
* Frederick Douglass Memorial Hall
* Howard Hall
* Howard University Hospital

Student life|

* Afro Blue
* The Hilltop
* Jazz Ensemble
* "Showtime" Marching Band
* Notable alumni
* Sit-ins
* Blackburn Takeover

Links to related articles

* v
* t
* e

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

Full members|

* Coppin State Eagles
* Delaware State Hornets
* Howard Bison
* Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks
* Morgan State Bears
* Norfolk State Spartans
* North Carolina Central Eagles
* South Carolina State Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs

Associate members|

* North Carolina A&T Aggies
* UAB Blazers (both in bowling)

* v
* t
* e

Northeast Conference

Full members|

* Central Connecticut Blue Devils
* Chicago State Cougars
* Fairleigh Dickinson Knights
* Le Moyne Dolphins
* LIU Sharks
* Mercyhurst Lakers
* New Haven Chargers (joining in 2025)
* Saint Francis Red Flash (leaving in 2026)
* Stonehill Skyhawks
* Wagner Seahawks

Baseball associates|

* Coppin State Eagles
* Delaware State Hornets
* Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks
* Norfolk State Spartans

Bowling associates|

* Duquesne Dukes
* Monmouth Hawks
* Niagara Purple Eagles

Field hockey associates|

* Fairfield Stags
* Merrimack Warriors
* Rider Broncs
* Sacred Heart Pioneers

Football associates|

* Duquesne Dukes
* Robert Morris Colonials

Golf associates|

* Binghamton Bearcats (men)
* Delaware State Hornets (women)
* Howard Bison (men and women)
* Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (men and women)
* North Carolina Central Eagles (men and women)

Men's lacrosse associates|

* Cleveland State Vikings
* Detroit Mercy Titans
* Robert Morris Colonials
* VMI Keydets

Women's lacrosse associates|

* Delaware State Hornets
* Howard Bison

Soccer associates|

* Delaware State Hornets (women)
* Howard Bison (men and women)

Swimming & diving associate|

* Howard Bison (men and women)

Tennis associate|

* Binghamton Bearcats (men and women)

Men's volleyball associates|

* Daemen Wildcats
* D'Youville Saints
* Manhattan Jaspers (joining in 2025)
* Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (joining in 2025)

Championships and awards|

* Baseball
* Men's basketball
* Player of the Year
* Defensive Player of the Year
* Coach of the Year
* Rookie of the Year
* Women's basketball
* Player of the Year
* Coach of the Year
* Men's soccer
* Coach of the Year
* Women's soccer

* v
* t
* e

Sports teams based in the Washington, D.C., area

Baseball|

MLB
Washington Nationals

Chesapeake Baysox
ALPB
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

Basketball|

NBA
Washington Wizards
WNBA
Washington Mystics
G League
Capital City Go-Go

Football|

NFL
Washington Commanders
UFL
DC Defenders
WFA
D.C. Divas

Esports|

OWL
Washington Justice

Hockey|

NHL
Washington Capitals

Soccer|

MLS
D.C. United
NWSL
Washington Spirit
USLS
DC Power FC
USLC
Loudoun United FC
NISA
Maryland Bobcats FC
USL2
Northern Virginia FC
Virginia Dream FC

Roller derby|

WFTDA
DC Rollergirls

Rugby union|

MLR
Old Glory DC
Capital Geographical Union
Washington Irish R.F.C.
Washington Renegades RFC
West Potomac Rugby Football Club

Rugby league|

NARL
Washington DC Cavalry

Tennis|

WTT
Washington Kastles

Ultimate|

AUDL
DC Breeze

College athletics|

NCAA Div. I
American
Georgetown
George Mason
George Washington
Howard
Maryland
Mount St. Mary's
NCAA Div. II
Bowie State
Shepherd
UDC
NCAA Div. III
Catholic
Gallaudet
Hood
Mary Washington
Marymount

See also: Sports in Washington, D.C.
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