Western Illinois Leathernecks

Western Illinois Leathernecks
Western Illinois Leathernecks
	Logo
University	Western Illinois University
Conference	Summit League; Missouri Valley Football Conference
NCAA	Division I
Athletic director	James Bell
Location	Macomb, Illinois
Varsity teams	16
Football stadium	Hanson Field
Basketball arena	Western Hall
Baseball stadium	Alfred D. Boyer Stadium
Softball stadium	Mary Ellen McKee Softball Stadium
Soccer stadium	MacKenzie Alumni Field
Other arenas	Brophy Hall Pool; Harry Mussatto Golf Course; WIU Tennis Facility
Mascot	Colonel Rock (Live Bulldog), Rocky (Costumed Bulldog) Rocky the Bulldog
Nickname	Leathernecks
Fight song	We're Marching On
Website	www.goleathernecks.com

The Western Illinois Leathernecks are the teams and athletes that represent Western Illinois University, located in Macomb, Illinois, in NCAA Division I sports. The school's primary conference affiliation is with the Summit League; its football team is a member of the Division I FCS (formerly Division I-AA) Missouri Valley Football Conference.

WIU's nickname, the Leathernecks, and its mascot, the English bulldog, are taken from the traditions of the United States Marine Corps. The university has had permission to use the official nickname and mascot of the Corps since 1927, when Ray Hanson, then-athletic director and coach of the baseball, basketball and football teams, gained permission to use the symbols as a homage to his service in that military branch during World War I.^[1] Western Illinois University is the only non-military university to use a military nickname.^[1] Since the fall semester of 2009, the men's and women's teams have been unified under the Leathernecks name;^[2] previously, the women's teams and athletes at the school had been known as the Westerwinds.

Teams

A member of The Summit League, Western Illinois University sponsors teams in ten men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports:^[3]

Men's Teams

Women's Teams

NOTE: The football team competes as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

Baseball

The Western Illinois Leathernecks baseball team represents the university in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team is a member of The Summit League. It plays its home games at the 500-seat Alfred D. Boyer Stadium and are coached by Ryan Brownlee.

Men's basketball

The Western Illinois Leathernecks men's basketball team competes in NCAA Division I men's college basketball competition. The school's team is a member of The Summit League. The team plays it home games at 5,139-seat Western Hall and are coached by Billy Wright.^[4]

Women's basketball

The Western Illinois Leathernecks women's basketball team is a member of The Summit League, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home games at 5,139-seat Western Hall.

Football

The Western Illinois Leathernecks football program competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The team has made numerous NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) playoff appearances. The Leathernecks have been ranked as high as number one and ranked number two numerous times. The team plays its home games at the 16,368 seat Hanson Field.

Softball

The Western Illinois Leathernecks softball team is a member of The Summit League, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home games at 500-seat Mary Ellen McKee Softball Stadium. The team has appeared in eight Women's College World Series, in 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980 and 1982.^[5]

Notable alumni

Don Beebe, National Football League
David Bowens, National Football League
Lee Calhoun, Olympic gold medal winner
Bryan Cox, National Football League
Don Greco, National Football League
Rodney Harrison, National Football League
Edgerton Hartwell, National Football League
Frisman Jackson, National Football League
William James, National Football League
Kosuke Kimura, Major League Soccer
Gene Lamont, Major League Baseball
Rob Lazeo, Canadian Football League
Jeff Loots, Arena Football League
Bruce McCray, National Football League
Mike McEachern, Canadian Football League
Russ Michna, Canadian Football League
Peter Mueller, Canadian Football League
J.R. Niklos, National Football League
Paul Reuschel, Major League Baseball
Rick Reuschel, Major League Baseball
Mike Scifres, National Football League
Rich Seubert, National Football League
Aaron Stecker, National Football League
Mike Wagner, National Football League
Jason Williams, National Football League
Frank Winters, National Football League