Hartford Hawks

Hartford Hawks
University	University of Hartford
Conference	Conference of New England (primary)
NCAA	Division III [a]
Athletic director	Alicia Queally
Location	West Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Varsity teams	18
Basketball arena	Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion
Baseball stadium	Fiondella Field Dunkin' Park
Soccer stadium	Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium
Lacrosse stadium	Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium
Other venues	Grant Family Track and Field
Mascot	Howie the Hawk
Nickname	Hawks
Fight song	"Fly High"
Colors	Scarlet and white [2]
Website	hartfordhawks.com

The Hartford Hawks are the NCAA Division III athletic teams of the University of Hartford, located in West Hartford, Connecticut. Hartford sponsors teams in eight men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports. ^[3]

Overview

Division III

On May 6, 2021, the University of Hartford Board of Regents voted to drop its athletic department to Division III. This plan started with the university's formal application to the NCAA for reclassification in January 2022. Starting in 2022–23, Hartford would no longer award athletic scholarships to incoming students, and begin playing as a Division I independent. In 2023–24, the school would become a provisional member of a Division III conference, and transition all remaining student-athletes off athletic aid by the end of that school year.

Conference of New England

On June 21, 2022, the Commonwealth Coast Conference, now known as the Conference of New England, announced that Hartford would become a full D-III member on September 1, 2025. ^[4]

Sports sponsored

Men's sports	Women's sports
Baseball	Basketball
Basketball	Cross country
Cross country	Field hockey
Golf	Golf
Ice hockey (TBA)	Ice hockey (TBA)
Lacrosse	Lacrosse
Soccer	Soccer
Tennis	Tennis
Track and field†	Softball
	Track and field†
	Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor.

Men's golf

America East Champions	1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007

Women's golf

America East Champions	2005

Men's soccer

NCAA Tournament appearances	1991, 1992, 1996, 1999
America East Tournament Champions	1989, 1991, 1992, 1999
America East Regular Season Champions	1996, 1999

Women's soccer

College Cup appearances	1992
NCAA Tournament appearances	1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006
America East Tournament Champions	1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2006
America East Regular Season Champions	1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018

^[5]

Volleyball

America East Tournament Champions	1993
America East Regular Season Champions	1993

Men's tennis

America East Champions	1989, 1990, 1994–1995, 2001–2002

Athletic facilities

Dunkin' Park

Al Marzook Field

Fiondella Field

Gillette Ridge course

Venue	Sport	Capacity
Fiondella Field	Baseball	1,000
Chase Arena	Basketball	4,017
Al-Marzook Field	Field hockey	2,500
	Lacrosse
	Soccer
Hartford Softball Field	Softball	1,000
Grant Family Track and Field	Track & field (outdoor) [6]	n/a
Hartford Volleyball Arena	Volleyball	500
Dunkin' Park [n 1]	Baseball	6,121
Gillette Ridge Golf Club [n 1]	Golf (men's)	n/a
Wampanoag Country Club [n 1]	Golf (women's)	n/a
Elizabeth Park, Hartford [n 1]	Cross Country	–

^[7]

Notes

1. Not owned by the University.

Academics

From Hartford's athletic website: "Hartford, which has posted a combined GPA of 3.0 or higher in each of the last 15 semesters, saw an average of 70 percent of its student-athletes record a 3.0 in one or both semesters last year. In addition, 43 percent of Hawk student-athletes notched at least a 3.5 while five percent registered perfect 4.0 GPA's for the 2012–13 academic year." ^[8] "The University of Hartford clinched its second-straight America East Academic Cup in 2012–13 after posting the highest grade-point average of any school in the 18-year history of the award. Compiling a 3.24 GPA in 2012–13, the Hawks won their third Academic Cup all-time." ^[8]

Mascot and nickname

From Hartford's athletic website: "Howie is well known among the University of Hartford community and fans, and has been known for his on court antics during basketball games. The current version of Howie the Hawk began its tenure during the winter of 2008–09." ^[9] "The nickname originated in the late 1940s when the school competed as Hillyer College. It is believed that the nickname stemmed from spectators having to climb four flights of stairs in the old Chauncey Harris School on Hudson Street in Hartford to the "Hawk's Nest" to watch basketball and wrestling events." ^[9]

Notable Hawks

• Jeff Bagwell – Former Hartford third baseman (1987–89). 2x All-American (1988, 1989), 2x Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Year (1988, 1989). Hartford's all-time leader in batting average and slugging percentage. Selected as the 110th overall pick in the 4th round of the 1989 MLB draft by the Boston Red Sox (1989–90). Traded to the Houston Astros (1990–2005) on August 30, 1990. NL MVP (1994), 4x MLB All-Star (1994, 1996, 1997, 1999), NL Rookie of the Year (1991), Gold Glove Award (1994), 3x Silver Slugger (1994, 1997, 1999). Former Houston Astros hitting coach (2010), Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY, inducted (2017).
• Vin Baker — Former Hartford center (1989–93). North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Player of the Year (1992–93). Hartford's all-time leading scorer. Selected as the 8th overall pick in the 1st round of the 1993 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks (1993–97). Seattle SuperSonics (1997–02), Boston Celtics (2002–04), New York Knicks (2004–05), Houston Rockets (2005), Los Angeles Clippers (2006), Minnesota Timberwolves (2006). 4x NBA All-Star (1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98). All-NBA Second Team (1997–98). All-NBA Third Team (1996–97). NBA All-Rookie First Team (1993–94).
• Jerry Kelly
• Tracey Kelusky
• Tim Petrovic
• Patrick Sheehan
• Saralyn Smith
• Earl Snyder — Former Hartford first/third baseman (1995–98). Hartford's all-time leader in hits, runs, home runs, runs batted in (RBIs), and total bases.
• Sean Newcomb — Former Hartford starting pitcher (2012–14). Baseball America All-American Third Team (2014), ABCA All-American Second Team (2014), Perfect Game All-American Second Team (2014). ABCA All-Northeast Region First Team (2014). America East Pitcher of the Year (2014). Selected 15th overall in the 1st round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2014–2015) before being traded to the Atlanta Braves whom he would make his MLB debut with in 2017. As of 2023, he is currently a member of the San Francisco Giants.

Athletic directors

• Peter A. LoMaglio ^[10]
• Gordon McCullough (1974–1986)
• Pat Meiser (1993–2014) ^{[11] [12]}
• Anton Goff (2014–2016) ^[13]
• Mary Ellen Gillespie (2017–2019) ^[14]
• Maria Feeley (interim) (2019–2021)
• Dr. Sharon Beverly (2021–2023)
• Alicia Queally (2023–present)

Notes

1. Scheduled to drop to Division III no later than September 1, 2025. ^[1]

References

1. "University of Hartford Votes to Drop Athletic Department to Division III". Sports Illustrated . May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
2. University of Hartford Brand Identity Guide . Retrieved November 10, 2022.
3. "Hartford Hawks". University of Hartford Athletics. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
4. "CCC Grants Full Membership to University of Hartford, Beginning Competition in 2023-24" (Press release). Commonwealth Coast Conference. June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
5. "Another Title For Hartford Women's Soccer". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
6. "UHart Cuts Ribbon on Grant Family Track and Field". hartford.edu. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
7. "Facilities". hartfordhawks.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
8. "Hartford Hawks".
9. "Hartford Hawks".
10. "A. Peter LoMaglio Honored with Memorial Highway". we-ha.com. 24 July 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
11. "Hartford's Meiser-McKnett Receives Regional AD of the Year Award at NACDA Convention". Hartford Athletics. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
12. "UHart's Meiser to retire; One Of Just 30 Female Division I ADs". Hartford Courant. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
13. "Goff Leaving Hartford To Become Athletic Director At St. John's". Hartford Courant. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
14. "Mary Ellen Gillespie resigns as Hartford athletic director". Hartford Courant. Retrieved January 18, 2020.

External links

• Official website