NAIA College Nicknames Quiz / Test | College Sports

NAIA College Nicknames Trivia Quiz

Most fans of US college sports are familiar with NCAA nicknames, but how well do you know their NAIA counterparts? (All teams and nicknames were applicable during the 2022 college football season)
This is a renovated/adopted version of an old quiz by author Dizart

A multiple-choice quiz by Dizart. Estimated time: 2 mins.

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was the bovine nickname of Texas College, a member of the Sooner Athletic College?

Answer: Steers

Texas College are based in Tyler, a city in northeast Texas. Cattle ranching is huge in Texas, and Texas College are one of a number of pro and college teams in the state with bovine nicknames. The Steers play most sports in the Red River Athletic Conference. However, because the RRAC doesn't sponsor football, they are also members of the Sooner Athletic Conference for football only.

2. Valley City State University, members of the North Star Athletic Conference, shared their nickname with which National Football League team?

Answer: Minnesota Vikings

Valley City State University is based in Valley City, North Dakota. They were founding members of the North Star Athletic Association in 2013, and their Vikings nickname, like Minnesota of the NFL, is a reflection of the Scandinavian heritage of this part of the USA.

3. What was the equine nickname of Morningside University of the Great Plains Athletic Conference?

Answer: Mustangs

Morningside University is located in Sioux City, Iowa. The Mustangs joined the Great Plains Athletic Conference in 2003, and their football team first won the NAIA National Championship in 2018.

4. Which member of the Heart Of America Athletic Conference were nicknamed the Ravens?

Answer: Benedictine

Benedictine College is based in the city of Atchison, Kansas. The Ravens joined the Heart Of America Athletic Conference in 1991. The school's mascot is "Rocky the Raven", alluding to a bird which brought food to St Benedict in the 6th century AD.

5. Which member of the Kansas College Athletic Conference were nicknamed the Moundbuilders?

Answer: Southwestern

Southwestern College is based in Winfield, Kansas. The school's unusual nickname refers to indigenous Americans who built burial mounds in the area. Southwestern have been competing in the Kansas College Athletic Conference since 1958, with their most successful sport over that period being track and field.

6. What military nickname was used by Ave Maria of the Sun Conference?

Answer: Gyrenes

Ave Maria is based in the city of Ave Maria in Collier County in southwest Florida. Their unusual nickname is an old nickname for US Marines, a contraction of Government Issue (GI) Marine, although the school itself has no specific connection to the Marine Corps. Ave Maria joined the Sun Conference in 2009.

7. Which member of the Appalachian Athletic Conference were nicknamed the Knights?

Answer: St Andrews

St Andrews University is based in Laurinburg, North Carolina, and shares its name with the oldest university in Scotland due to its Presbyterian roots. The Knights were an NCAA school for many years before transitioning to the NAIA in 2012.

8. Which member of the Frontier Conference were nicknamed the Battlin' Bears?

Answer: Rocky Mountain

Rocky Mountain College is located in Billings, Montana. The Battlin' Bears have been members of the Frontier Conference since 1936, all of whose members are based in Montana, Idaho or Oregon. Unsurprisingly, given their geographical location, Rocky Mountain College teams are especially strong in skiing.

9. What was the feline nickname of Saint Xavier University of the Mid-States Football Association?

Answer: Cougars

Saint Xavier University is located in Chicago, Illinois. The Cougars have been members of the Mid-States Football Association since its foundation in 1994, whilst, in most other sports, they are members of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, which doesn't sponsor football.

10. Nicknamed the Bulldogs until 2016, what mythical creature was adopted as the (new) nickname of Cumberland University of the Mid-South Conference?

Answer: Phoenix

Cumberland University is based in Lebanon, Tennessee. Their sports teams were called the Bulldogs until the new Phoenix name was adopted in 2016. Since 2012, they have been members of the Mid-South Conference. Cumberland have the unwanted distinction of being on the wrong end of the most lopsided scoreline in college football history - they lost 222-0 to Georgia Tech in 1916.

Source: Author Dizart

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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NAIA College Nicknames Trivia Quiz

Most fans of US college sports are familiar with NCAA nicknames, but how well do you know their NAIA counterparts? (All teams and nicknames were applicable during the 2022 college football season)
This is a renovated/adopted version of an old quiz by author Dizart

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NAIA College Nicknames Trivia Quiz

Most fans of US college sports are familiar with NCAA nicknames, but how well do you know their NAIA counterparts? (All teams and nicknames were applicable during the 2022 college football season) This is a renovated/adopted version of an old quiz by author Dizart

Most fans of US college sports are familiar with NCAA nicknames, but how well do you know their NAIA counterparts? (All teams and nicknames were applicable during the 2022 college football season)
This is a renovated/adopted version of an old quiz by author Dizart