Northern Kentucky Norse

Last updated
Northern Kentucky Norse
Northern Kentucky Norse logo.svg
University Northern Kentucky University
Conference Horizon League
NCAA Division I
Athletic directorKen Ralph
Location Highland Heights, Kentucky
Varsity teams17
Basketball arena Truist Arena
Baseball stadium Bill Aker Baseball Complex
Soccer stadium NKU Soccer Stadium
MascotVictor E. Viking
NicknameNorse
ColorsBlack, gold, and white [1]
     
Website nkunorse.com

The Northern Kentucky Norse are the athletic teams of Northern Kentucky University, located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, United States. NKU is an NCAA Division I school competing in the Horizon League, which it joined on July 1, 2015, after leaving the Atlantic Sun Conference. [2] The university's teams for both men and women are nicknamed "Norse."

Contents

Nomenclature

Norse has been a common term for Norsemen in the early medieval period, especially in connection with raids and monastic plundering by Norsemen in the British Isles (i.e. Norse Vikings or Norwegians) [3] (Gall Goidel, lit.: foreign Gaelic), was used concerning the people of Norse descent in Ireland and Scotland, who assimilated into the Gaelic culture. The Norse, or Northmen, were also known as Ascomanni, ashmen, by the Germans, Lochlanach (Norse) by the Irish and Dene (Danes) by the Anglo-Saxons. [4]

Division I transition

NKU began preparing to reclassify as an NCAA Division I institution in the fall of 2008, and officially started the process in the fall of 2012. During the four-year reclassification, NKU was not eligible for Division I championships. [5] The university ended its membership in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) at the conclusion of the 2011–12 academic year and began playing a full Atlantic Sun Conference schedule in fall 2012. [5] Following the four years, NKU became a full Division I member. [6] Prior to completing its transition to Division I, NKU changed its membership from the Atlantic Sun Conference to the Horizon League. [2]

Sports teams

A member of the Horizon League, NKU currently sponsors teams in eight men's and nine women's NCAA-sanctioned sports: [7]

NKU will add six sports, three each for men and women, by 2025–26. Men's and women's swimming & diving, women's stunt, [lower-alpha 1] and men's and women's triathlon [lower-alpha 2] will be added in 2024–25, with men's volleyball to follow in 2025–26. [8]

Men's Intercollegiate SportsTeam ArticleHead CoachWomen's Intercollegiate SportsTeam ArticleHead Coach
Baseball Dizzy Peyton Basketball Norse women's basketball Camryn Whitaker
Basketball Norse men's basketball Darrin Horn Cross country Steve Kruse
Cross country Steve Kruse Golf Daryl Landrum
Golf Daryl Landrum Soccer Bob Sheehan
Soccer Blair Stevenson Softball Brittany Duncan-Houghland
Tennis Brian Nester Tennis Brian Nester
Track & Field (Indoor & Outdoor)Steve Kruse Track & Field (Indoor & Outdoor)Steve Kruse
Volleyball Liz Hart

Men's basketball

The men's basketball team was the NCAA Division II national runner-up during the 1995–96 and 1996–97 seasons. The Norse won the Horizon League Tournament following the 2016–17 season, making them eligible for their first NCAA tournament appearance.

Women's basketball

In 2000, the NKU women's basketball team became NKU's first national championship team by winning the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship in overtime 71–62 over North Dakota State, ending its season with a 32–2 record. The 2002–03 team was the NCAA Women's Division II national runner-up. [9]

The team won its second national championship in 2008 by a score of 63–58 over South Dakota, becoming one of only five schools to win more than one NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship, as well as the only two-time NCAA national champions in the state of Kentucky. [10] [11] One of the top coaches in NCAA Division II women's basketball, Nancy Winstel, was head coach of the team from 1983 until her retirement at the end of the 2011–12 season. [9] Dawn Plitzuweit, an assistant at Michigan, was named the new NKU Women's Basketball coach on May 10, 2012. [12] On May 6, 2016, Camryn Whitaker was named as the new head coach. [13]

Men's soccer

In 2010, the NKU men's soccer team won the NCAA Division II national championship by defeating Rollins 3–2 in a driving snowstorm in Louisville. [14] The team was led by senior Steven Beattie, who was named Ron Lenz National Player of the Year in both 2008 and 2010. [15]

Women's soccer

The women's soccer team was the NCAA Division II runner-up in 2000 and advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1999 and 2001.

Softball

The Norse softball began in 1985 and is currently coached by Brittany Duncan-Houghland, the sixth coach in program history. Following former head coach Kathryn Gleason who is the losingest coach in NKU history. Gleason took the Norse to their first NCAA Tournament with a dismal record of 23–32 and being swept in the Tennessee Regionals. Gleason compiled a 207–262–1 (.440) record as her time as a head coach at UMass (74–74–1) and NKU (133–188) [16] The team holds an overall record of 621–445–1 (.583). [16]

Spirit squad

In 2006, the Norse cheerleading squad won the Universal Cheerleading Association's national title in the small unit coed category of competition, and also won the national title again in 2007 and 2009.

In 2011, The Norse Dance Team placed in the Universal Dance Association's national competition in the open hip hop category.

Championships

Over the forty years Northern Kentucky has sponsored intercollegiate athletics the university has won three NCAA DII national championships, 33 GLVC championships, and seven GLVC All-Sport Awards [17]

National championships

Basketball (W)2000, 2008
Soccer (M)2010

Horizon League Championships

Basketball (M)2017 (tournament), 2018 (regular season), 2019 (tied regular season & tournament), 2020 (tournament)
Soccer (W)2016 (tournament)

Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships

Baseball2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009
Basketball (M)2003, 2009
Basketball (W)1999, 2000, 2006, 2009
Golf (M)2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2012
Golf (W)2003, 2005, 2008
Soccer (M)1987, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2010
Soccer (W)1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2009
Softball2005, 2009
Tennis (M)1986, 1987, 1990, 2003, 2004
Tennis (W)1988, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004
Volleyball (W)1985, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001

NKU claimed the GLVC All-Sports Trophy seven times in its final 11 seasons in the conference: 1999–2000, 2000–02, 2004–06, 2008–10. [17]

Club sports

Students have also organized club teams in ice hockey, taekwondo, fencing, boxing, lacrosse, rugby, kickball, skeet & trap, ultimate frisbee, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. These clubs are primarily organized through the Sport Club program.

Facilities

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Stunt, an all-female cheerleading discipline that emphasizes acrobatics, does not have an NCAA-sanctioned championship, but the sport is recognized as part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program.
  2. ↑ Women's triathlon does not have an NCAA-sanctioned championship, but is recognized as part of the Emerging Sports for Women program. Men's triathlon has no NCAA recognition at all.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Lakes Valley Conference</span> NCAA Division II college athletic conference

The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. Its fourteen member institutions are located in the U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri. There are also four associate members who participate in sports not sponsored by their home conferences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Kentucky University</span> Public university in Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University is a public university in Highland Heights, Kentucky. Of its 15,000 students, over 10,000 are undergraduate students and nearly 5,000 are graduate students. Northern Kentucky University is the third largest university, behind the University of Cincinnati and Miami University, of Greater Cincinnati's four large universities and the youngest of Kentucky's eight public universities. Among the university's programs are the Salmon P. Chase College of Law and the College of Informatics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truist Arena</span> Multi-purpose arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky

Truist Arena, formerly The Bank of Kentucky Center and BB&T Arena, is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky, on the campus of Northern Kentucky University. The arena was topped off on June 21, 2007, and the first event held there was NKU's graduation ceremony on May 10, 2008. A grand opening ceremony was held on September 22, 2008.

Nancy H. Winstel is an American retired head women's basketball coach who coached at Northern Kentucky University from 1983 through 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missouri S&T Miners</span>

The Missouri S&T Miners are the athletic teams that represent the Missouri University of Science and Technology, located in Rolla, Missouri, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) for most of its sports since the 2005–06 academic year; its men's swimming team competed in the New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference (NSISC) before the GLVC began to sponsor swimming as a championship sport. The Miners previously competed in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) from 1935–36 to 2004–05; and in the Missouri College Athletic Union (MCAU) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1924–25 to 1932–33.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indianapolis Greyhounds</span> Collegiate sports club in the United States

The Indianapolis Greyhounds are the athletic teams that represent the University of Indianapolis (UIndy), located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Greyhounds compete in NCAA Division II as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) for all 23 of their varsity sports. Indianapolis has been a member of the GLVC since 1978 and, as of 2022, was the only remaining charter member of the conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team that represents Northern Kentucky University

The Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represents Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky, United States. The school's athletic program began a transition to NCAA Division I in the 2012–13 school year. For the first three seasons of the transition, it was a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. In the final season of the transition in 2015–16, the Norse joined the Horizon League. The Norse were coached by John Brannen until April 14, 2019, when he left to take a job with the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Before him the Norse program's coach was Dave Bezold, who had an overall record of 138 wins and 72 losses. On April 23, 2019 Darrin Horn was hired as head coach by Northern Kentucky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles</span> Athletic team of the University of Southern Indiana

The Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles are the athletic teams that represent the University of Southern Indiana, located outside Evansville in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, in NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports. The Screaming Eagles compete as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. Southern Indiana had previously been a member of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference from 1978 to 2022, when the school announced it would reclassify to NCAA Division I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014–15 Northern Kentucky Norse women's basketball team</span> Intercollegiate basketball season

The 2014–15 Northern Kentucky Norse women's basketball team will represent Northern Kentucky University in the 2014–15 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Norse were coached by third year head coach Dawn Plitzuweit and were members of the Atlantic Sun Conference. They finished the season 19-14, 8-6 in A-Sun play to finish in third place This was the final year the Norse are ineligible to participate in the A-Sun tournament and cannot make the NCAA Tournament due to their transition from D2 to D1. However, they were eligible to compete the 2015 Atlantic Sun women's basketball tournament and advance to the championship game which they lost to Florida Gulf Coast. They were invited to the Women's Basketball Invitational where they lost in the first round to Marshall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014–15 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2014–15 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represented Northern Kentucky University (NKU) during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Norse, led by 11th-year head coach Dave Bezold, played their home games at The Bank of Kentucky Center and were members of the Atlantic Sun Conference (A-Sun). They finished the season 13–17, 7–7 in A-Sun play to finish in a tie for fourth place. Due to their transition to Division I, the Norse were ineligible to participate in NCAA-operated postseason play, specifically the NCAA tournament and NIT, and will remain ineligible for those tournaments until the 2016–17 season. However, they were eligible for the A-Sun tournament where they lost in the quarterfinals to Lipscomb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015–16 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2015–16 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represented Northern Kentucky University (NKU) during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Norse, led by first head coach John Brannen, played their home games at BB&T Arena and were first year members of the Horizon League. Due to their transition to Division I, the Norse were ineligible to participate in NCAA-operated postseason play, specifically the NCAA tournament and NIT, and will remain ineligible for those tournaments until the 2016–17 season. They finished the season 9–21, 5–13 in Horizon League play to finish in eighth place. They lost in the first round of the Horizon League tournament to Milwaukee.

John Brannen is an American basketball coach, mostly recently serving as a program analyst and senior special assistant for the University of Dayton Flyers. Brannen previously spent two seasons as the men's basketball coach of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats and four seasons as the head coach for the Northern Kentucky University Norse. Before that he spent nine seasons as an assistant coach to Anthony Grant at both VCU and Alabama. For the Tide's two games in the 2015 National Invitation Tournament, Brannen served as interim head coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016–17 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2016–17 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represented Northern Kentucky University (NKU) during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Norse, led by second-year head coach John Brannen, played their home games at BB&T Arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky as members of the Horizon League. They finished the season 24–11, 13–6 in Horizon League play to finish in a tie for third place. As the No. 4 seed in the Horizon League tournament, they defeated Wright State, Youngstown State, and Milwaukee to win the Horizon League tournament. They received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament in the school's first year of eligibility after its transition to a Division I school. They lost in the first round to Kentucky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017–18 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2017–18 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represented Northern Kentucky University (NKU) during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Norse, led by third-year head coach John Brannen, played their home games at BB&T Arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky as members of the Horizon League. They finished the season 22–10, 15–3 in Horizon League play to win the Horizon League regular season championship. They were upset in the quarterfinals of the Horizon League tournament by No. 8 seed Cleveland State. As a regular season league champion who failed to win their league tournament, they received an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament where they lost in the first round to Louisville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018–19 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2018–19 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represented Northern Kentucky University (NKU) during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Norse, led by fourth-year head coach John Brannen, played their home games at BB&T Arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky as members of the Horizon League. They finished the season 26–9, 13–5 in Horizon League play to win a share of the regular season championship with Wright State. They defeated Detroit Mercy, Oakland, and Wright State to be champions of the Horizon League tournament. They received the Horizon League's automatic-bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round to Texas Tech.

Drew McDonald is an American former basketball player. He played college basketball for the Northern Kentucky Norse. McDonald was named the conference's Player of the Year in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019–20 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2019–20 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represented Northern Kentucky University in the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Norse, led by first-year head coach Darrin Horn, played their home games at BB&T Arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky as members of the Horizon League. They finished the season 23–9, 13–5 in Horizon League play to finish in second place. They defeated Green Bay and UIC to become champions of the Horizon League tournament. They received the Horizon League's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. However, the NCAA Tournament was cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021–22 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2021–22 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represented Northern Kentucky University in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Norse, led by third-year head coach Darrin Horn, played their home games at BB&T Arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky as members of the Horizon League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022–23 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2022–23 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represented Northern Kentucky University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Norse were led by fourth-year head coach Darrin Horn, and played their home games at Truist Arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky as members of the Horizon League. They finished the season 19–12, 14–6 in Horizon League play to finish in a three-way tie for second place. They defeated Oakland, Youngstown State, and Cleveland State to claim the title championship of the Horizon League tournament. They received the Horizon League's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, where they lost in the first round to top-seeded Houston, closing their season with an overall record of 22–13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023–24 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2023–24 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represents Northern Kentucky University during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Norse, led by fifth-year head coach Darrin Horn, play their home games at Truist Arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky as members of the Horizon League.

References

  1. ↑ "Color Palette". Northern Kentucky University Athletic Department Brand Identity Guidelines (PDF). March 16, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Northern Kentucky University to Join Horizon League in July". Horizon League. May 11, 2015. Archived from the original on May 14, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  3. ↑ Baldour, John Alexander; Mackenzie, William Mackay (1910). The Book of Arran. Arran society of Glasgow. p.  11.
  4. ↑ Adam of Bremen 2.29.
  5. 1 2 Peale, Cliff (December 8, 2011). "NKU goes D-I, could play Ohio State". NKY.com. Cincinnati Enquirer . Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  6. ↑ "NKU accepts invitation to join Atlantic Sun Conference, will reclassify to NCAA Division I". nkunorse.com. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  7. ↑ "NKU Norse". Northern Kentucky University. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Northern Kentucky Athletics to expand with six new sports programs" (Press release). Northern Kentucky Norse. November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  9. 1 2 "NKU Norse: Head Coach Nancy Winstel". Northern Kentucky University . Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  10. ↑ Staff (April 2008). "Northern Kentucky downs South Dakota 63-58 For 2008 Division II Title" (PDF). smallcollegehoops.com Women's Division II Bulletin. p. 1. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Governor meets with Lady Norse". The Northerner. April 16, 2008. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  12. ↑ Posted on Thu, May 10, 2012 : 4:14 p.m. (2012-05-10). "Former Michigan assistant Dawn Plitzuweit will lead Northern Kentucky into Division I". Annarbor.com. Retrieved 2016-04-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ "NKU welcomes Camryn Whitaker as @NKUNorseWBB head coach". Northern Kentucky University. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  14. ↑ Skinner, Richard (December 4, 2010). "Northern Kentucky University wins men's NCAA Division II soccer title". The Cincinnati Enquirer . Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  15. ↑ "NKU's Beattie named Ron Lenz National Player of the Year for men's soccer". Northern Kentucky University . December 1, 2010. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  16. 1 2 "Softball Records". Northern Kentucky University . Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  17. 1 2 "NKU Athletics celebrates 40-year anniversary". The Northerner. March 2, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  18. ↑ Staff (February 14, 2005). "Bank of Kentucky buys NKU events center naming rights". Cincinnati Business Courier . Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  19. ↑ "Bank of Kentucky Center". Cincinnati Metromix . Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  20. ↑ "Northern Kentucky River Monsters Introduced". UIFL . November 26, 2010. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  21. ↑ Jones, Nick (September 22, 2010). "Soccer stadium dedicated". The Northerner. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  22. ↑ "NKU Soccer Stadium". Northern Kentucky University. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.