Five years after the NCAA ruled that the University of North Dakota would have to remove all of its Fighting Sioux logos from the Ralph Engelstad Arena and Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, a compromise of sorts has been reached.
The NCAA has decided to allow UND to keep most of the logos, and the school’s compliance with the new addendum will result in the NCAA removing North Dakota from its list of schools found to use hostile or abusive names and imagery.
Also of importance to North Dakota but something that doesn’t affect the basketball program, which plays at the Betty Engelsted Sioux Center, is that the ruling allows the school to host NCAA championships on campus.
And with hockey being as big as it is at North Dakota that’s an important aspect of the new addendum as far as UND is concerned.
The “Home of the Fighting Sioux” signage outside of the arena will need to be removed, and the school decided last year to retire the nickname.
Other logos to be removed “include some of the more controversial things, including the logos at the end of seat rows, the brass etched standards along railings and the carpet on the suite level, which can stay (until) it wears out.” (Fargo-Moorhead Forum)
North Dakota is still in the process of adopting a new nickname and logo, and according to North Dakota State Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem Wednesday’s ruling allows the school to create a wall honoring the Sioux Nation within Engelstad Arena.
Raphielle is also the assistant editor at CollegeHoops.net and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.