College Sports Established
1933
Location
West Long Branch, New Jersey
College Name
Monmouth University
Collegiate History
2013 - Present / NCAA Division I
Conference History
2022 - Present / Coastal Athletic Association
2013 - 2022 / Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Nickname
Hawks - As sports fans, we often take pride in our favorite teams' unique and sometimes quirky nicknames. Each team's nickname, from the Chicago Bulls to the New York Yankees, has a story behind it. Today, we'll take a closer look at the Monmouth Hawks and uncover the origins of their beloved nickname.
The Monmouth University Hawks, located in West Long Branch, New Jersey, have competed in Division I sports since 1983. However, their nickname dates back even further to the early 1900s.
The story begins with the school's original name, Monmouth Junior College, established in 1933. At the time, the school had no official mascot or nickname. However, in 1936, the school's football team adopted the nickname "Fighting Scots" to honor their Scottish heritage and location in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
Fast-forward to 1956, when the school changed its name to Monmouth College. With the new name came a new nickname—the Monmouth College Hawks. The decision to change the nickname was influenced by the school's location near the Monmouth Battlefield State Park, where a pivotal Revolutionary War battle occurred in 1778. The park is home to many red-tailed hawks, often seen soaring above the campus.
1995 the school officially changed its name to Monmouth University, but the nickname remained the same. Today, the Monmouth Hawks compete in 23 varsity sports, including basketball, football, soccer, and lacrosse.
But the nickname's origins don't stop there. In 2003, the school unveiled a new logo for the Hawks, featuring a fierce-looking red-tailed hawk with broad wings. The logo was designed to represent the Monmouth Hawks athletic teams' strength, agility, and determination.
In addition to the logo, the school also introduced a new mascot—Shadow the Hawk. Shadow, a costumed character, can be seen at various sporting events, pumping up the crowd and supporting the teams.
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1998
- 2006
- 2020
-
1st NCAA Appearances
The Monmouth Hawks baseball team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey, United States. The team is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I. Monmouth Hawks have made the NCAA Tournament Appearances four times; in 1998, 1999, 2007 and 2009. They ... -
Alpha and Omega: Hawks Basketball
The Monmouth Hawks men’s basketball team currently competes in the Coastal Athletic Association. The Hawks had wins over five power conference opponents (UCLA, Notre Dame, USC, Georgetown, and Rutgers) and received votes in the AP poll for the first time ever during the 2015–16 season. The Hawks have appeared in four NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournaments. They last appeared ... -
Hawks Football Progression
The Monmouth Hawks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Monmouth University located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the upcoming 2022 season, the Hawks compete in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). The Hawks have appeared seven times in Conference Championships most ...
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History of the Hawks
As a sports fan, there's nothing quite like rooting for your favorite team and watching them make history. And while we all know about big-name teams like the New York Yankees or the Los Angeles Lakers, countless other teams with rich histories often go unnoticed. One such team is the Monmouth Hawks, a collegiate sports team with a storied past that any sports fan should know about.
The Monmouth Hawks are the athletic teams of Monmouth University, a private university located in West Long Branch, New Jersey. The university was founded in 1933, and the Hawks have been competing in various sports since the 1940s. But it wasn't until the 1970s that the Hawks truly began to make a name for themselves in the world of collegiate sports.
In 1970, the Monmouth Hawks football team made their first appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs. Led by head coach Joe McLaughlin, the team went on to win the Middle Atlantic Conference championship and made it to the quarterfinals of the playoffs. This was just the beginning of the Hawks' success on the football field.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the Monmouth Hawks football team continued to dominate in the Middle Atlantic Conference, winning numerous championships and making multiple appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs. They also produced several standout players, including wide receiver Miles Austin, who went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL.
But it's not just football where the Monmouth Hawks have found success. The men's basketball team has also made a name for themselves in the college sports world. In 2006, the Hawks made their first appearance in the NCAA Division I tournament, where they faced off against the number one seed, Villanova. Though they lost the game, it was a monumental moment for the program and put them on the map for future tournaments.
In recent years, the Monmouth Hawks have continued to excel in various sports, including men's and women's soccer, field hockey, and track and field. In 2016, the men's basketball team made another appearance in the NCAA Division I tournament, earning their first-ever tournament win against the University of South Carolina.
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