The athletic teams representing Ball State University belong to the NCAA Division I Mid-American Conference. Their mascot is Charlie Cardinal, who you can see on the current Ball State Cardinals logo (2015) as well as on the old one introduced in 1990.
The Ball State Cardinals, a prominent athletic team, were established as part of Ball State University, founded by the Ball brothers in 1918 in Muncie, Indiana. Over the years, the Cardinals have become synonymous with athletic excellence, particularly in college sports within the United States. As a part of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), they represent Ball State University in various sports, including basketball, football, baseball, and more.
A hallmark of the Cardinals’ journey has been their remarkable achievements across different sports. In football, they have made significant strides, participating in numerous bowl games and clinching titles in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Their basketball team, both men’s and women’s, has frequently been a formidable force in the MAC, with the men’s team achieving national recognition following their upset victory over the top-ranked University of North Carolina team in 2001. Additionally, the women’s volleyball team has consistently demonstrated excellence, making regular appearances in the NCAA tournaments.
Currently, the Ball State Cardinals maintain a robust position in collegiate sports, consistently competing at high levels in the NCAA. They continue to foster talent and sportsmanship, contributing significantly to the local community and the broader realm of college sports. Their ongoing commitment to excellence not only in sports but also in academic pursuits of their student-athletes upholds the legacy of the Ball brothers, making the Cardinals a respected name in NCAA sports.
What is Ball State Cardinals?
Ball State Cardinals, an athletic division of Ball State University, competes in NCAA sports. Renowned for achievements in football, basketball, and volleyball, they embody collegiate sports excellence and sportsmanship.
The Ball State Cardinals logo from 1990 featured a sharp and modern image of a Cardinal bird head in a red, black and white color palette, with some additional diagonal black lines above, as a visualization of speed and power. The emblem had no lettering added, and this was not needed at all, as the bird looked strong on its own, evoking a sense of commitment, willingness to win, and fighting spirit. The traditional color palette and bright contrast only elevated the mood of the badge.
In fact, the old and the current emblems look pretty similar. Both feature a downward-facing angled abstract cardinal. Both are based on a color scheme including red, white, and black.
Yet, there is a couple of notable differences. On the previous logo, there were three black strokes above the bird’s head. Although the strokes were diagonal and added motion, they also made the bird itself smaller. The 2015 Ball State Cardinals logo got rid of them making the main image larger.
The team plays in Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mid-American Conference. Their home arena is Scheumann Stadium. The first football season was 1924.
The first basketball season was 1920. Today, the team plays in the Mid-American Conference and uses Worthen Arena for its home games. The men’s team competed in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament in 2000. In 2009, the women’s team won their first MAC tournament.
CARDINAL RED
PANTONE: PMS 200 C
HEX COLOR: #BA0C2F;
RGB: (186, 12, 47)
CMYK: (3, 100, 70, 12)
WHITE
PANTONE: P 1-1 C
HEX COLOR: #FFFFFF;
RGB: (255, 255, 255)
CMYK: (0, 0, 0, 0)
BLACK
PANTONE: BLACK 6 C
HEX COLOR: #000000;
RGB: (0, 0, 0)
CMYK: (0, 0, 0, 100)