History of the Lions
The Lindenwood Lions and Lady Lions are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Lindenwood University, located in St. Charles, Missouri, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in the Ohio Valley Conference for most of its sports since the 2022–23 academic year.
Before joining NCAA Division I, the Lions previously competed in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) from 2019–20 to 2021–22; in the D-II Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) from 2013–14 to 2018–19; and as an NCAA D-II Independent during its provisional season in the 2011–12 school year.
Before joining NCAA Division II, Lindenwood was previously a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and competed within the Heart of America Conference (HAAC) as its primary conference from 1996–97 to 2010–11, in addition to other athletic organizations for sports not sponsored by the HAAC; as well as in the American Midwest Conference from 1993–94 to 1995–96.
College Sports Established
1827
Location
St. Charles, Missouri
College Name
Lindenwood University
Collegiate History
2015 - Present / NCAA Division I
2010 - 2014 / NCAA Division II
Conference History
2022 - Present / Ohio Valley Conference
2019 - 2022 / Great Lakes Valley Conference
2012 - 2019 / Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
Nickname
Lions - Lindenwood had intercollegiate teams as early as the 1940s, but the state of its early ’70s men’s teams was disorganized, partly because the college only allowed men starting in 1968. Cerny said there was no sense of campus spirit, and the basketball team was a “very ragtag” group of players coached by a psychology professor.
“There was nothing else to do. There weren’t enough men to have intramural sports,” he said.
Another basketball player, Noren Kirksey, said in an oral history interview that men’s soccer coach Larry Volo came up with the name “Lions” while sitting with athletes in front of Butler Hall.
Kirksey, a forward, said, “If I’m not mistaken, there are two lions as you went up the steps, and he said, ‘Well, I was thinking about this, and I think we should be the lions.'”
According to Kirksey, players had suggested naming the team the Lobos, after a Mexican wolf.
While the reason the Lindenwood Lions’ name and colors were chosen in 1970 is uncertain, the fact is they stuck.
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.