The intercollegiate athletic teams representing the University of Idaho are called the Idaho Vandals. The university sponsors over 15 varsity teams.
The Idaho Vandals, representing the athletic teams of the University of Idaho, were established with the founding of the university’s athletic program. The University of Idaho itself was founded in 1889, but it wasn’t until the early 20th century that the Vandals began to make their mark in collegiate sports. Throughout their history, the Vandals have been known for their competitive spirit and achievements, particularly in football, basketball, and track and field.
In the realm of football, the Idaho Vandals have a rich history, having won several conference championships. They have been a part of various conferences over the years, including the Big Sky Conference and the Sun Belt Conference, showcasing their adaptability and competitiveness. In basketball, the Vandals men’s team has made multiple appearances in the NCAA Tournament, demonstrating their strength in this arena as well. Additionally, the track and field program has produced several individual champions, contributing to the university’s overall athletic prestige.
As of today, the Idaho Vandals continue to compete primarily in the Big Sky Conference, with their football team being an exception, participating in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) level. The athletic program remains a source of pride for the university, consistently striving for excellence in various sports. They continue to nurture talent and aim for high performance in national competitions, upholding the legacy and spirit of the Vandals.
What is Idaho Vandals?
The Idaho Vandals are the athletic teams of the University of Idaho, participating in a range of sports including football, basketball, and track and field. They compete primarily in the NCAA’s Big Sky Conference, with a rich history of achievements and a current focus on maintaining their competitive edge in collegiate sports.
We can start the history of the Idaho Vandals logo from the one introduced in 1966. Here, you could see the bearded face of a vandal wearing a gold helmet. Next to the vandal, there was the letter “I” housing the word “Idaho.”
While this logo was quite characteristic and memorable, it was redrawn in 1973. In contrast to its gloomy predecessor, the updated vandal looked much happier. There is every possibility that depicting the vandal in a better mood was the main purpose of the redesign.
Around 1983, the team adopted an utterly new logo. This time, in addition to the bearded vandal, you could also see the silhouette of a female face. In other words, the logo now included both genders. The redesign was caused by Title IX concerns.
The logo introduced in 1992 was created with a completely different approach. Now, the centerpiece of the emblem was a large yellow “I” with a black outline. On the forefront, the lettering “Vandals” could be seen in white with a thinner black outline. While the “I” featured a slab serif font, the word “Vandals” was given in a typeface imitating handwriting. The end of the last letter, the “S,” was extended to form an underline reaching the “V.”
In 2004, the type was updated. Although it preserved its handwritten style, the outline was now bolder, which made the lettering better legible.
The colors featured on the Idaho Vandals logo are gold (PMS 874), black, and white. The official palette also includes silver (PMS 877).
The head coach of the women’s team is Jon Newlee, while the men’s team is coached by Zac Claus. The teams play in the Big Sky Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The home arena is the Cowan Spectrum I in Moscow, Idaho. The school is going to open a new venue called the Idaho Central Credit Union Arena in 2021.
The most successful seasons for the men’s team have probably been in 1962–63 and 1981–82.
The history of the University of Idaho football program is rather long – the team was first fielded in 1893. Its home arena is the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho. So far, the Vandals have competed in three bowl games. Interestingly, the team has been the first one to voluntarily drop to the Football Championship Subdivision (the respective announcement was made in advance of the 2017 season).
ATHLETIC GOLD
PANTONE: PMS 4515
HEX COLOR: #B3A369
RGB: (179,163,105)
CMYK: (13,19,62,28)
ACADEMIC GOLD
PANTONE: PMS 3514
HEX COLOR: #EAAB00
RGB: (234,171,0)
CMYK: (0,27,100,0)
METALLIC GOLD
PANTONE: PMS 871
HEX COLOR: #86754D
CMYK: (44,45,76,17)
SILVER
PANTONE: PMS 877
HEX COLOR: #B3A369
RGB: (128,128,128)
CMYK: (0,0,0,50)
BLACK
PANTONE: PMS PROCESS BLACK
HEX COLOR: #000000