College Sports Established
1966
Location
Westchester, Florida
College Name
Florida International University
Collegiate History
1988 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1966 - 1988 / NCAA Division II
Conference History
2014 - Present / Conference USA
1998 - 2014 / Sun Belt Conference
1991 - 1998 / Trans America Athletic Conference
1989 - 1991 / Independent
Nickname
Panthers - The FIU Panthers are a collegiate athletic team representing Florida International University. They compete in NCAA Division I and have earned recognition for their impressive performances, including winning several conference championships. But what many fans may not know is where the nickname “Panthers” originated from.
It all began when FIU was established in 1965 as a two-year college called “The University College of South Florida” (UCOSF). No official sports teams or mascots were associated with UCOSF, so students came up with their unofficial mascot – the panther! This was due to its association with nearby Everglades National Park, which has abundant wild panthers around it. The name stuck and eventually became part of UCOSF's official identity when it changed to Florida International University in 1972. The school also adopted black and gold colors, further reinforcing their connection to these majestic cats found throughout South Florida's swamps and forests!
Today, FIU continues to use the Panther as its official mascot at sporting events across campus while proudly displaying black & gold colors on uniforms worn by student-athletes competing for them each season - something that pays homage back to those original students who chose such an iconic animal symbolize both strength & pride within our university community!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 2002
- 2006
- 2008
- 2012
- 2019
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The FIU Panthers football team is founded
2002: The FIU Panthers football team is founded. The team plays its first game on August 29, 2002, against Saint Peter’s University. -
The FIU Panthers men’s soccer team wins the Sun Belt Conference championship
In 2006: The FIU Panthers men’s soccer team wins the Sun Belt Conference championship, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. -
T. Y. Hilton – most prolific and electrifying players in FIU history
T. Y. Hilton is a former wide receiver who played football for the FIU Panthers from 2008 to 2011. During his college career, Hilton became one of the most prolific and electrifying players in FIU history. As a freshman in 2008, Hilton burst onto the scene with 41 catches for 1,013 yards and seven touchdowns, earning Sun Belt Conference Freshman ... -
FIU Panthers men’s basketball team wins the Sun Belt Conference championship
In 2012: The FIU Panthers men’s basketball team wins the Sun Belt Conference championship, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 21 years. -
FIU Panthers women’s soccer team wins the Conference USA championship
In 2019: The FIU Panthers women’s soccer team wins the Conference USA championship, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
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 Panthers
The Florida International University Panthers have a long and storied history of excellence in NCAA sports. From their first season in 1972, the Panthers have consistently been one of the top teams in college athletics.
In recent years, they’ve become even more successful than ever before. The men's basketball team won three consecutive Sun Belt Conference championships from 2011-2013 and made four straight appearances to the NCAA Tournament from 2012-2015. The women's soccer team also had an impressive run, winning two conference titles and advancing to five straight NCAA tournaments between 2014-2018.
Their success doesn't stop there; FIU has seen great success across all its athletic programs over the last several decades, including baseball, softball, golf, and track & field. In addition to these successes on the field or court, however, is a culture that values education off it – with many student-athletes graduating with honors each year due to their academic and athletic dedication while at FIU!
This commitment towards excellence has helped shape not only current Panther athletes but former ones as well, who are now making an impact both locally within South Florida communities or nationally through professional sports leagues like Major League Baseball (MLB), National Football League (NFL) or Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). It goes without saying that when you think about collegiate athletics today - whether it be Division I powerhouses such as Duke University or smaller schools like our own here at FIU - you can always count on them having one thing: prideful alumni who bleed blue & gold for life!
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