College Sports Established
1818
Location
St. Louis, Missouri
College Name
Saint Louis University
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division I
1937 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
Conference History
2005 - Present / Atlantic 10 Conference
1995 - 2005 / C-USA Conference
1919 - 1995 / Great Midwest Conference
1982 - 1991 /Midwestern Collegiate Conference
1974 - 1982 / Metro Conference
1937 - 1974 / Missouri Valley Conference
Nickname
Billikens - The Saint Louis Billikens are one of the most recognizable teams in college sports. The team's unique name has been around since its inception in 1919, and it is a source of pride for many fans. But where did this unusual nickname come from?
The story goes that the team was named after a popular character from French folklore called "Billy-Ken." This figure was known to be an elf-like creature with magical powers that could bring good luck to those who invoked his name. It seemed like an appropriate mascot for a St Louis, Missouri, University – so the nickname stuck!
Since then, there have been several variations on how people pronounce or spell “Billiken” (the preferred spelling). Some say “BilliKENS” while others prefer “BILLIkins” or even just plain old “billykENs”! Regardless of pronunciation, all agree that this beloved moniker brings good fortune to any fan lucky enough to wear it proudly on their chest.
Fans across America now recognize the Saint Louis Billikens as one of NCAA's premier programs - thanks mainly to their unique identity created by its charming namesake long ago. Whether you call them billiKENS or Billikens doesn't matter; either way, you're sure to show your support loud and proud when cheering them on during the game day!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1911
- 1952
- 1960
- 2012
-
The Saint Louis University athletic teams adopt the Billiken as their mascot
In 1911, the Saint Louis University athletic teams adopted the Billiken as their mascot. The Billiken is a mythical creature that is said to bring good luck, and it quickly became a beloved symbol of the university and its sports teams. -
Men’s basketball team wins the National Invitation Tournament championship
In 1952, the Saint Louis Billikens men’s basketball team won the National Invitation Tournament championship for the second time. Led by coach Ed Hickey and future Hall of Famer Bob Pettit, the Billikens defeated the defending champion City College of New York in the championship game. Pettit was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and went on to become one ... -
Ed Macauley, known as “Easy Ed”
Ed Macauley, known as “Easy Ed”, is a famous basketball player who played for the Saint Louis Billikens from 1946 to 1949. He was a two-time consensus All-American and helped lead the Billikens to the NIT championship in 1948. After college, he went on to have a successful professional career, including being named an NBA All-Star six times and winning ... -
The men’s soccer team wins the Atlantic 10 Conference championship
The Saint Louis Billikens men’s soccer team won the Atlantic 10 Conference championship in 2012. They defeated the VCU Rams 1-0 in the championship game, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. In the tournament, they advanced to the third round before being eliminated by the Georgetown Hoyas in a penalty shootout.
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 Billikens
The team first made waves on a national level when they won back-to-back National Invitational Tournaments (NIT) titles during World War II – becoming just one of eight schools to achieve such an accomplishment at that time! The success continued into the 1950s, with six consecutive Missouri Valley Conference titles between 1955 and 1961, making them the only secondary school to win six regular season conference crowns since Ohio State did it from 1960 to 1965.
In addition to all those accolades, SLU has had some incredible individual players over its storied history too! From Larry Hughes, who was selected 8th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1998 NBA draft, or Hall Of Famer Bob Pettit, who led the St Louis University basketball program for four years before being drafted 2nd overall pick by the Milwaukee Hawks (now Atlanta Hawks). This university has been blessed with many talented individuals throughout its lifetime, which helped propel them toward greatness year after year!
Today's generation can continue this tradition as SLU competes against other top-tier programs like Duke University or Kentucky Wildcats yearly for regular-season play and post-tournament glory. So if you're looking for some exciting college basketball action, keep your eyes peeled whenever these two powerhouse programs go head-to-head because you never know what kind of show they might put on next time together!
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