History of the Dolphins
The Jacksonville Dolphins are the intercollegiate athletics teams representing Jacksonville University, located in Jacksonville, Florida. The Dolphins participate in NCAA Division I athletics and are primarily members of the ASUN Conference. Some teams in sports that the ASUN does not sponsor play in other conferences; specifically, the men's and women's rowing teams are in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The men's lacrosse team played in the Southern Conference (SoCon) from 2015 to 2022, but that sport will return to the ASUN for the 2023 season (2022–23 school year).
College Sports Established
1934
Location
Jacksonville, Florida
College Name
Jacksonville University
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division I
1967 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
Conference History
1998 - Present / ASUN Conference
1976 - 1998 / Sun Belt Conference
1967 - 1976 / Independent
Nickname
Dolphins - Before Nellie was given the "official mascot" title, JU went more than 30 years without an official mascot. In 1947, years before Jacksonville Junior College became Jacksonville University, a contest was held to stimulate school spirit and to choose a nickname for the College's newly-organized basketball team. Numerous names were suggested, including Green Raiders, Buccaneers, Juggernauts and Green Dragons, but on Dec. 12, 1947, the winner, Green Dolphins, was announced. It was later shortened to Dolphins.
It was said that the name Dolphins seemed particularly appropriate for JU because of the University's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and because dolphins actually swim in the St. Johns River, which traverses along the JU campus. Further, the dolphin (usually called porpoise to distinguish it from the popular sport fish) is a highly intelligent mammal that is noted for its speed and sleek appearance.
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
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.