Early on in the school's history, the athletes were referred to as the "Fighting Teachers" (one of the school's early names was "Indiana State Teachers College"), until the students chose the name "Sycamores," due to the abundance ofsycamore trees in Indiana and especially in the Wabash River Valley; though it is believed that the students voted on "Sycamores" on a lark, never thinking it would win. During the 1950s and 1960s, the sycamore tree itself was used as Indiana State'smascot. However, as a tree does not lend itself well to an athletic mascot, especially considering Indiana State's in-state rivalries with theBall State Cardinals andButler Bulldogs, the university created anIndian mascot named "Chief Quabachi," and his "Princess," in 1969.[3] This change paid homage to the fact that ISU was the "State University" of a state named after Indians (prior to statehood Indiana was primarily inhabited by Indians). The university dropped the "Chief Quabachi" mascot in 1989 in response to a variety of objections over use of the Indian caricature[4] and did not have another mascot until 1995, when a blue-and-white gender neutral woodland creature named "Sycamore Sam" became Indiana State's mascot.[5]
As of August 1, 2023, Indiana State has won three National Championships; one NCAA team championship, one NAIA team championship and one USBC title.[8]
Kurt Thomas led the men's gymnastics team to the 1977NCAA National Championship. In 1973 and 1979, the team finished third in the NCAA Championships. In 1971, Coach Margit "Grete" Treiber led the ISU women's gymnastics team to a national runner-up finish at theAIAW National Championships. In 1964, Coach Roger Counsil led the ISU men's freshman gymnastics team to a national runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships.
The men's basketball team was the national runner-up in the 1946 and 1948NAIA National Championship Tournaments. The 1950 title team placed eight players on the1951 Pan-American Games gold medal-winning team. Head Coach John Longfellow also served as co-head coach of the Pan-American Games team.
Indiana State has produced 13 Olympians; 11 for the United States, 1 (Chloe Farro) forAruba & 1 (Greggmar Swift) forBarbados. Additionally, several ISU Coaches have US Olympic ties;Roger Counsil was the 1980 US Olympic Gymnastics coach, Erin Gilreath, ass't track & field coach competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics
Of particular note, the Runnin' Sycamores (the men's and women's cross-country and track & field teams) have won 32 titles in the past 26 seasons.[when?]
*Note – All of the above championship information is from the media guides available at www.gosycamores.com or from the Indiana State archives (each yearbook from 1896 to 1993 is available).[20]
Indiana State University has hosted thirteen (2002, 2004–2011, 2013–14, 2016–2017) NCAA Division I cross country championships at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.[21] ISU will also host the 2018 NCAA Great Lakes Regionals in cross country and the 2019 NCAA Division I Nationals.[21]
Indiana State University hosted the 10th NCAA Wrestling Championships in 1937, at a time when the school had yet to establish a wrestling program. In 1965, the university hosted the NationalNAIA Wrestling tournament.
The university also hosted the 1972 US Olympic Trials[22] and the 1975 NCAA Gymnastics National Championships.
Indiana State's marching band is called theMarching Sycamores. The marching band performs at home football games and is the feature band at theBrickyard 400. There are two alternating bands that play at men's and women's basketball games, known as the Blue and White Basketball Bands.
^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.ISBN978-0-9893007-0-4.
