Rebel Black Bear is the mascot of the collegiate athletic teams formerly known as what?
Ole Miss Rebels The Ole Miss Rebels are the intercollegiate athletic teams officially representing the University of Mississippi. Originally known as the "Mississippi Flood", the teams were renamed the Rebels in 1936 and compete in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I. The only exception is the rifle team, which participates in the Great America Rifle Conference because the SEC does not sponsor that sport. The school's colors are red (PMS 186) and navy blue (PMS 2767), purposely chosen to mirror the school colors of Harvard and Yale, respectively. With a long history in intercollegiate athletics (Ole Miss began football in 1890), the university competes in 18 men's and women's sports. Student-athletes, 630 in all, received all-conference academic honors from 1995 to 2004.
North Dakota Fighting Sioux controversy The "Fighting Sioux" nickname and logo was cited as one of the "hostile and abusive" representations of Native Americans by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 2005, although some controversy predates that action. Critics of the name called it a racist stereotype, while supporters maintained that it was inoffensive and a source of pride. Over the years, the debate proved to be a divisive issue at the University of North Dakota. The movement to keep the nickname and logo was led by some UND alumni, sports fans, and athletic players and officials, as well as the university administration for a time. The campaign to change the nickname and logo was led by several Native American tribes and student organizations, as well as many UND faculty members. A new nickname, the "Fighting Hawks" was selected in 2015.