Western Illinois Leathernecks
| Western Illinois Leathernecks | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | Western Illinois University |
| Conference | Ohio Valley Conference (primary) Missouri Valley Football Conference leaving in 2024 Summit League (men's soccer) leaving in 2024 |
| NCAA | Division I (FCS) |
| Athletic director | Paul Bubb |
| Location | Macomb, Illinois |
| Varsity teams | 20 (8 men's, 12 women's) |
| 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 venues | Harry Mussatto Golf Course Spring Lake Course Brophy Courts |
| Mascot | Colonel Rock (Live Bulldog), Rocky the Bulldog (Costumed Bulldog) |
| Nickname | Leathernecks |
| Fight song | We're Marching On |
| Colors | Purple and gold[1] |
| Website | www |
 | |
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 Ohio Valley Conference; its football team is a member of the Division I FCS (formerly Division I-AA) Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). Western Illinois announced on May 12, 2023 its departure from the Summit League to become a full member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) in all sports beginning seven weeks subsequent on July 1. Its football program will remain in the MVFC through the fall of 2023 before joining the OVC in 2024.[2]
History and nickname
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 an homage to his service in that military branch during World War I.[3] The university holds the distinction of being the only non-military institution to officially have its nickname derived from a branch of the military service.[3] Since the fall semester of 2009, the men's and women's teams have been unified under the Leathernecks name;[4] previously, the women's teams and athletes at the school had been known as the Westerwinds. On December 18, 2020 Western Illinois officially discontinued their men’s and women’s swimming programs citing budgetary and COVID-19 concerns.[5] On May 12, 2023 Western Illinois accepted an invitation to join the Ohio Valley Conference starting the 2023-24 season. Western Illinois will leave the Summit League after being the last charter member of the conference since it was founded in 1982.[6] A week later on May 18, 2023 Western Illinois announced the addition of three more sports for women, this includes beach volleyball, bowling, and STUNT.[7]
Sports sponsored
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Beach volleyball |
| Cross country | Bowling |
| Football | Cross country |
| Golf | Golf |
| Soccer | Soccer |
| Track and field† | Softball |
| STUNT | |
| Tennis | |
| Track and field† | |
| Volleyball | |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor | |
Baseball
The Western Illinois Leathernecks baseball team represents the university in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. It plays its home games at the 500-seat Alfred D. Boyer Stadium and are coached by Andy Pascoe.
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 Ohio Valley Conference. The team plays it home games at 5,139-seat Western Hall and are coached by Rob Jeter.
Women's basketball
The Western Illinois Leathernecks women's basketball team is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home games at 5,139-seat Western Hall and are coached by JD Gravina.
Men’s cross country
The Western Illinois Leathernecks men’s cross country team is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team runs at Spring Lake Course. The team won the 1991 Summit League conference championship.
Men’s golf
The Western Illinois Leathernecks men’s golf team is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home meets at Harry Mussatto Golf Course. The team has won eight Summit League championships in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008. They have made four NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship appearances in 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
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 through the 2023 season, after which the program will join the rest of the team's sports in the Ohio Valley Conference. Technically, WIU football will compete in a football-only alliance between the OVC and the Big South Conference that shares a single automatic berth in the FCS playoffs. The team has made numerous FCS (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 and are coached by Jared Elliott.
Men's soccer
As of the upcoming 2023 season, the Western Illinois Leathernecks men's soccer team is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home games at 500-seat MacKenzie Alumni Field and are coached by Dr. Eric Johnson. at Harry Mussatto Golf Course. The team has won nine Summit League championships in 1995, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2014. The team has also made six NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament appearances in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2012.
Women's soccer
The Western Illinois Leathernecks women's soccer team, like its men's counterpart, is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I Ohio Valley Conference. The team plays its home games at 500-seat MacKenzie Alumni Field and are coached by Dr. Eric Johnson. The team won the 2007 Summit League conference championship.
Softball
The Western Illinois Leathernecks softball team is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, 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 and are coached by Alisa Goler. The team has won ten Summit League championships in 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2008, and 2009. The team has appeared in eight Women's College World Series, in 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980 and 1982.[8] The team has also made four NCAA Division I softball tournament appearances in 1992, 2000, 2001, and 2008.
Men’s track and field
The Western Illinois Leathernecks men’s track and field team is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team competes its home meets at Hanson Field. The team has won two Indoor Track and Field Summit League championships in 2001 and 2002. The team has also won two Outdoor Track and Field Summit League championships in 2001 and 2002.
Women’s track and field
The Western Illinois Leathernecks women’s track and field team is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team competes its home meets at Hanson Field. The team has won two Outdoor Track and Field Summit League championships in 1996 and 2005.
Volleyball
The Western Illinois Leathernecks volleyball team is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The team plays its home games at 5,139-seat Western Hall and are coached by Ben Staupe.
Athletic facilities
- Alfred D. Boyer Stadium — Baseball
- Hanson Field — Football, Men's and women's track and field
- Harry Mussatto Golf Course — Men's and women's golf
- MacKenzie Alumni Field — Men's and women's soccer
- Mary Ellen McKee Softball Stadium — Softball
- Spring Lake Course — Men's and women's cross country
- Western Hall — Men's and women's basketball, Volleyball
- Brophy Courts — Women's tennis
Western Illinois traditions
Western Loyalty
The name of the "official" Alma Mater for Western Illinois University is "Western Loyalty".[9]
We're Marching On
The name of the "official" fight song for Western Illinois University is "We're Marching On".[9]
Western Illinois University Marching Leathernecks
The "Western Illinois University Marching Leathernecks" is the marching band which represents Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois.[10]
Rocky the Bulldog
"Rocky the Bulldog" is the costumed athletics mascot for the Western Illinois Leathernecks.[11]
Colonel Rock
"Colonel Rock" is the live athletics mascot for the Western Illinois Leathernecks.[12]
Western Illinois Cheerleaders
The "Western Illinois Cheerleaders" are the co-ed cheerleading squad for the Western Illinois Leathernecks.[13]
Notable former athletes
Baseball
- Gene Lamont, Major League Baseball
- Paul Reuschel, Major League Baseball
- Rick Reuschel, Major League Baseball
- Rick Short – Major League Baseball
Basketball
- Joe Dykstra, drafted by the Phoenix Suns
- Terell Parks (born 1991) - basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
American Football
- Don Beebe, National Football League
- David Bowens, National Football League
- 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
- 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
- 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
Soccer
- Kosuke Kimura, Major League Soccer
- Tom Soehn – director of soccer operations for Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Softball
- Gary Lagesse – Hall of Fame Softball Coach
Track
- Lee Calhoun, Olympic gold medal winner
References
- ^ Western Illinois Leathernecks Athletics 2017–18 Branding & Style Guidelines (PDF). July 11, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
- ^ "Leatherneck Athletics Moving to Ohio Valley Conference for All Sports," Western Illinois University Athletics, Friday, May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ^ a b "The Leatherneck Nickname". Western Illinois Athletics. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
- ^ University Relations (2009-06-05). "University comes to decision on nickname unification". Western Illinois University. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
- ^ "COACH-LESS WESTERN ILLINOIS DROPS SWIMMING & DIVING PROGRAM, CITING BUDGET" (Press release). Swim Swam. December 18, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ "Western Illinois University to Join the OVC in 2023-24 As New Full Members" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. May 12, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ "WIU Moving to the Ohio Valley Conference; Adding Three Sports for Women" (Press release). Western Illinois Athletics. May 12, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ Plummer, William; Floyd, Larry C. (2013). A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States: Turnkey Communications Inc. ISBN 978-0-9893007-0-4.
- ^ a b "Traditions". goleathernecks.com. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
- ^ "WIU Marching Leathernecks". wiu.edu. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
- ^ "Rocky the Mascot". goleathernecks.com. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
- ^ "Colonel Rock". goleathernecks.com. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
- ^ "Cheerleading". goleathernecks.com. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
