"The Fighting Sioux" is the name of the athletic teams of the University of North Dakota which is located in the city of Grand Forks. The name is often shortened to simply "The Sioux". The current logo is a Native American figure. The logo was designed by a local artist of Native ethnicity.
The University has men's and women's hockey teams, men's and women's basketball teams, a men's football team, and a women's volleyball team. The men's and women's hockey teams compete at the Division I level while the other sports are at the Division II level. The Sioux have a proven track record of being very competitive in both divsions. The men's hockey team is easily the most popular and enshrined of all teams at UND. They play in the $100 million Ralph Engelstad Arena. The arena has been called one the greatest hockey facilities in the world.
Controversy
Controversy has arisen over the name and the logo used by the teams. Critics of the name claim that it is a racist stereotype, while supporters claim that it is unoffensive and is a source of pride for some students. Over the years, the debate has proven to be a divisive issue at the University. However, the State Board of Higher Education has frozen discussion on the issue by insisting that the team name remain the same. Recently, the debate has cooled off somewhat. The movement to abandon the name and logo is now led by many professors and several Native American organizations on and off campus.