College Sports Established
1969
Location
Indianapolis, Indiana
College Name
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Collegiate History
1997 - Present / NCAA Division I
Conference History
2017 - Present / Horizon League
1997 - 2017 / Summit League
Nickname
Jaguars - The IUPUI Jaguars are a beloved sports team in Indianapolis, and their mascot is one of the city's most recognizable symbols. But do you know where their nickname comes from? Let’s take a look at how this iconic team got its name.
In 1965, when IUPUI was first established as Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), it adopted the jaguar as its official mascot to reflect both schools’ ties to Indiana and Purdue Universities. The jaguar symbolizes strength, courage, agility, and power—all qualities embody what it means to be an IUPUI athlete or fan!
When deciding on a nickname for the university's athletic teams in 1971, “Jaguars” seemed obvious, given that they already had such strong ties with this powerful animal. Plus, they wanted something unique; there were no other collegiate teams named "Jaguars" at the time! This made them stand out from other schools across America who may have chosen more familiar names like Tigers or Bears for their mascots.
The school also chose colors that would represent these same traits: blue for loyalty, white for purity, gold representing excellence in academics and athletics alike, and black signifying strength & determination - all essential elements needed by any successful student-athlete program today! With these values firmly rooted in our school spirit, we have proudly called ourselves 'the Jaguars' ever since!
So now you know why our beloved IUPUI sports teams are called ‘the Jaguars.' We're proud of our heritage here at IUPUI – so make sure you show your support by cheering loudly & proud whenever we play! Go Jags!!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 2000
- 2003
- 2022
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Jaguars Men’s soccer Success
The men’s soccer team advanced to the NAIA Division 21 Playoffs in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1993. The 1993 team advanced to the NAIA Division 21 Championship before their season ended. The 1994 team lost in the NAIA Division 21 Tournament. In 2000, the Jaguars won the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament. They defeated Marist in an NCAA tournament play-in game. Their ... -
Summit Victory & NCAA Debut
The IUPUI Jaguars men’s basketball team is the men’s basketball team that represented Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, through the 2023–24 season. The school’s team currently competes in the Horizon League. The Jaguars made their first and to date only appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2003 when they won the Summit League Conference Championship. The ... -
Women’s First NCAA Appearances
The IUPUI Jaguars women’s basketball team is the women’s basketball team that represented Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States through the 2023–24 season. The school’s team currently competes in the Horizon League. The Jaguars appeared in their first NCAA tournament in 2022 after having won the 2020 Horizon League women’s basketball tournament to qualify for the 2020 ...
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 Jaguars
The IUPUI Jaguars have been a part of Indianapolis sports history since the university was founded in 1969. The team has had its ups and downs over the years, but one thing is sure: they have always brought excitement to their fans.
In 1975, IUPUI joined Division I athletics and began competing in basketball, soccer, volleyball, and track & field. During this period, they were known as the Metros or Metro Jags due to their affiliation with the Metropolitan Indianapolis Sports Association (MISA). 1986, they changed their name to Jaguars after joining the NCAA Division II competition. They remained at that level until 1997, when they moved up again into NCAA Division I play, where it still competes today as an independent member of the Summit League Conference for most sports, with football playing in the Pioneer Football League since the 2021 season beginning.
Over these past few decades, some notable athletes from IUPUI include former NBA player George Hill, who played four seasons for San Antonio Spurs; two-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Amanda Beard; WNBA Champion Tully Bevilaqua; three-time All-American runner Amber Campbell; professional golfer Jeff Overton among many others who went on to successful careers following college graduation.
The Jaguar’s men's basketball team has enjoyed success throughout its history by winning multiple conference championships while producing numerous all-league players along with several appearances in both NIT (National Invitational Tournament) and CIT (CollegeInsider Postseason Tournament) post-season tournaments over recent years, including back-to-back trips during 2017/2018 & 2018/2019 seasons respectively.
As we look ahead towards future success, let us not forget our proud history here at IUPUI, which includes a rich tradition of excellence on the court combined with substantial academic achievement off the court, making Jaguars one of the top mid-major programs nationwide!
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