College Sports Established
1893
Location
Washington, District of Columbia
College Name
American University
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division I
1966 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
Conference History
2001 - Present / Patriot League
1984 - 2001 / Colonial Athletic Association
1974 - 1984 / East Coast Conference
1966 - 1974 / Middle Atlantic Conferences
Nickname
Eagles - The American Eagles are one of the NCAA's most iconic college football teams, but do you know where their nickname comes from? It’s an exciting story that dates back to World War I.
In 1917, when America entered WWI, a group of students at Lafayette College decided they wanted to show support for their country by creating a mascot. They chose an eagle as it was seen as a symbol of strength and power – perfect for representing America’s military might during wartime. The team adopted the name “American Eagles” and began using it on uniforms and other athletic gear.
From there, the American Eagles became one of college football's premier programs, with several national titles. While some have speculated that there may be more to this story than meets the eye (such as honoring Native Americans or another type of tribute), no concrete evidence has been found so far linking any deeper meaning behind why this nickname was chosen all those years ago!
Regardless, fans can take pride in knowing that their beloved team is rooted in patriotism – which will always remain valid regardless of whether they win or lose on game day! So next time you cheer on your favorite squad from Lafayette College, remember how much history lies within each call-out: "Go American Eagles!"
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1925
- 1969
- 1974
- 2008
-
Starting of American Eagles Athletics Program
American University was founded in 1893, and the first building opened for classes in 1907. But it wasn’t until the fall of 1925 that the university organized intercollegiate athletics. The university fielded both a men’s and women’s basketball team, and a football team. George Springston was appointed athletic director (AD) and head coach of the men’s basketball team and football ... -
Stafford H. Cassell Hall of Fame
In 1969, American University established an athletics Hall of Fame and named it the Stafford H. Cassell Hall of Fame, in honor of the school’s late football coach, athletic director, and vice president. Cassell was the head football coach at American University in Washington, D.C. from 1940 to 1941 and at the Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa in 1942. ... -
Founding Member of East Coast Conference
In February 1974, AU became a founding member of the East Coast Conference. The conference formed after several years of discussion by AU and 11 other schools which played in the University Division of the MAC. -
Eagles men’s basketball in NCAA
In 2008, the Eagles earned their first ever bid to the NCAA Division I tournament by defeating Colgate in the final round of the Patriot League tournament. The Eagles were seeded 15th against #2 Tennessee. American held tight against the Volunteers most of the game, but Tennessee pulled away to win 72–57.
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Eagles
The American Eagles have a long and storied history in NCAA sports. From their first season in 1947 to today, they’ve had plenty of success on the field, court, and track.
The Eagles have won three conference championships – two outright titles–and four bowl appearances in football alone. They also made it to six consecutive FCS playoffs from 2006-2011 with an impressive run that included back-to-back national championship game appearances in 2010 and 2011 (the only times they’ve ever done so). The team has boasted some truly great players at this level, including NFL Hall of Fame inductee Art Monk who played for them between 1975–77 before heading off to professional glory with the Washington Redskins.
In basketball, there is much success for fans to cheer about; since joining Division I play (in 2003), American has appeared twice each in both NIT tournaments & NCAA Tournaments while winning five regular season conference titles along the way! Most recently, they claimed a share of their fourth CAA title last year while making it all the way up into March Madness, where unfortunately, they were knocked out by eventual Final Four participant Oregon Ducks during second-round action at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena - but still put together quite an impressive showing nonetheless!
Finally, when we look at track & field then again, one can see how competitively successful this program has been: since joining Division I athletics back in 2009, not only did 2013 mark just their third full outdoor campaign, but already within that short period span managed to make two separate trips East Regionals Championships; most notably coming away from 2012 competition having secured nine top ten finishes across various events ranging sprinting distances through hurdles throws shotputs javelins etcetera... This consistency shows how dedicated coaches and staff are to ensure athletes receive the best possible training preparation for the highest levels of collegiate sport available today!
These combined successes make it straightforward why so many sports fans proudly support American Eagles throughout any academic year - no matter what particular discipline may be involved or outcome achieved on the playing surface… Go Birds!!
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