Best college team nickname bracket: Vote now in the opening round
It's novelty bracket season again, so it's time to put a completely arbitrary topic up to a fan vote.
This year, we're honoring the best team nicknames in college basketball. A chance for the beautiful minds behind the delightful names of the small-conference schools to shine. The rules are simple: Between now and the end of March, we'll progress through the tournament in accordance with the schedule on the bracket above (click here for full-size version), with championship voting beginning March 29. For each matchup, just vote for the nickname you like better, whatever your reasoning.
Before we get started, some notes on the bracket:
— The bracket pulled from the pool of Division-I teams only.
— Originality was a big component, so to be eligible for inclusion, nicknames had to be used by no more than two of the 351 Division-I teams. This left us with some difficult cuts, most notably Terriers, which is used by Boston University, Wofford, and St. Francis Brooklyn.
— As with any bracket, there are snubs. Apologies to fans of the Gaels, Dons, Sycamores, Rainbow Warriors, Fighting Irish, Phoenix, Dragons and all the other creative names that didn't make the cut. The committee is discussing expanding to a field of 128 for next year's edition.
— There was a definite fondness for the unique and crazy small-school names, but every region features at least three major-program names that would probably seem equally fun if you hadn't heard them a thousand times. Don't forget about the big guys. They have feelings too.
— Any root names used in multiple derivatives tended to make it hard for a name to stand out. This is how no hawks of any kind made the list. So apologies to fans of the Mountain Hawks, Fighting Hawks, River Hawks, Skyhawks, Jayhawks, Seahawks, Redhawks, Warhawks and, of course, Hawks. Those just all sounded the same after awhile. (The Delta Devils, however, managed to cut through the "devil" fog.)
So let's get to it. The first round of the Friendly & Funny Region is open for voting. Check out the matchups below and cast your votes. Voting will be open until 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Other regions: Strange & Quirky Region | Strong & Virtuous Region | Formidable & Scary Region
No. 1 Fighting Camels vs. No. 16 Longhorns
Our tournament's No. 1 overall seed is the Fighting Camels, used exclusively by Campbell. The name's origin is somewhat mysterious, as there aren't a lot of camel species native to North Carolina, but who cares? It's perfect. Sometimes the addition of "Fighting" before a team name feels forced, but it's a critical distinction here.
The Camels first-round opponent is a classic — the Longhorns of Texas. Maybe you love it, maybe you're sick of it, but the name has a timeless ring to it and manages to convey a little menace coming from a cow. No small feat.
No. 9 Peacocks vs. No. 8 Chanticleers
Bird fight! You have to give Saint Peter's credit. It takes guts to go out there rocking Peacock gear. It's a fearless and utterly unique nickname that could be a darkhorse to make a run in the F&F Region.
The Chanticleers are named for a character in Geoffrey Chaucer's CanterburyTales. That's about the last place you'd expect to find source material for a college sports team name. But, as the university points out, it is a "proud and fierce rooster who dominates the barnyard." Look out, Peacocks.
No. 5 Anteaters vs. No. 12 Great Danes
UC Irvine is the Anteaters because some water polo bros in the '60s thought it sounded cool. Fifty-some years later, vindication comes in the form of a No. 5 seed in this bracket.
The very same year that Irvine was making its change, Albany was flipping from a penguin mascot to the Great Danes — easily one of the best of the dogs. These two were destined to meet in this bracket.
No. 13 Golden Gophers vs. No. 4 Jackrabbits
Leave it to Minnesota to name the college sports team after a 19th Century cartoon that made fun of the state. One of the prevailing theories about the origin of South Dakota State's unique name involves a game against ... Minnesota.
Let's settle this once and for all.
No. 4 Fightin' Blue Hens vs. No. 14 Beavers
Many will shout that Delaware got a poor seed here, and they could be right. This name is beautiful. Hens by itself would be a strong contender. The gratuitous color designation makes them that much more intriguing. To top it off, they're fightin'. If you're putting a "g" instead of an apostrophe on the end of that, you're doing it wrong. If it's still not cool enough for you, I should tell you that the name's origins go back to Revolutionary War times.
The Oregon State Beaver would stand more of a chance here if it were named the Fightin' Orange Beaver. Nevertheless, it's cute and unique and the logo has a bucktooth. Upset brewing?
No. 11 Salukis vs. No. 6 Roadrunners
A saluki is a dog that traces its origins back to the Middle East. The region of Southern Illinois is often referred to as Little Egypt. Hence the tenuous connection between the school and the breed with the melodic name that rolls off your tongue.
Both UT San Antonio and CSU Bakersfield sport the nickname of Roadrunners, our first two-school entry on the list. Anyone who watched cartoons as a kid knows the common connection to the fast-running bird.
No. 7 Ospreys vs. No. 10 Antelopes
If you want to name your school for a bird of prey, go big or go home. North Florida's Ospreys get the No. 7 seed here on the strength of a name you won't soon forget.
Grand Canyon just recently joined Division-I college basketball, and the school brought a mighty fine nickname along for the ride. They go by 'Lopes for short.
No. 15 Retrievers vs. No. 2 Kangaroos
Again, dog names are good. We've established this. So kudos to UMBC for "Retrievers," though its general blandness will likely cost it dearly here.
If this contest involved Australia's universities, perhaps Kangaroos would be the new Wildcats. Here in America, it's one-of-a-kind. How did a school in Kansas City end up naming itself after the most iconic animal Down Under? It's a complicated story.
