Florida International Golden Panthers
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| Golden Panthers | |
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| University | Florida International University |
|---|---|
| Conference | Sun Belt Conference |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletics director | Pete Garcia |
| Location | Miami, FL |
| Varsity teams | 17 |
| Football stadium | FIU Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Pharmed Arena |
| Mascot | Roary the Panther |
| Nickname | Golden Panthers |
| Fight song | FIU Fight Song |
| Colors | Blue and Gold
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| Homepage | www.FIUsports.com |
The sports teams at Florida International University are known as the Golden Panthers. The Golden Panthers participate in the NCAA's Division I and in the Sun Belt Conference.
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Men's sports |
Women's sports |
FIU colors are dark blue and gold, and their nickname is the Golden Panthers. The school's original nickname, the "Sunblazers", was changed in 1987. FIU is a member of the NCAA, participating in Division I and the Sun Belt Conference in all sports except for men's soccer (which competes in Conference USA as an affiliate member). FIU joined the Sun Belt Conference in 1998 and previously competed in the Trans America Athletic Conference, from 1991 to 1998.
FIU's athletics department has produced several professional and Olympic athletes, including current players in Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, and in the Women's National Basketball Association. Traditional rivals include the University of Miami Hurricanes and the FAU Owls.
The school's original nickname, was the "Sunblazers" until 1987, when it was changed to the current "Golden Panthers". The "Sunblazers" basketball team was also featured in a second season episode of Miami Vice entitled "The Fix". From 1991 to 1998, FIU competed in the Trans America Athletic Conference until 1998, when FIU joined the Sun Belt Conference.
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[edit] Baseball
[edit] University Park Stadium
Main article: University Park Stadium
University Park Stadium is a baseball stadium located on the University Park campus of Florida International University in Miami, Florida. It is used as the home venue of the university's baseball team. The facility opened on January 26, 1996 with an FIU victory against Bethune-Cookman, 1-0. The team spent the 2000 season at the Homestead Sports Complex in Homestead, Florida while the facility underwent an expansion.
The largest crowd in the stadium's history was 17,314 on August 29, 2002, when FIU defeated Saint Peter's College. In 2005, the facility also hosted the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Tournament.
[edit] Basketball
The men's varsity basketball currently has a strong rivalry against the FAU basketball team. Currently, FIU is in the lead 11-8.
[edit] Pharmed Arena
Main article: Pharmed Arena
Pharmed Arena is a 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena which opened on February 1, 1986 and is home to the Florida International University Golden Panthers basketball and volleyball teams. It was originally named Sunblazer Arena but was renamed Golden Panther Arena when FIU's athletic teams changed their nickname from Sunblazers to Golden Panthers in 1987. It was eventually renamed on September 1, 2004 in honor of Pharmed Group after a $1 million USD donation was made to the FIU athletic department by Pharmed owners Jorge and Carlos de Cespedes. Other events such as MTV's Campus Invasion, music concerts, ceremonies and fairs are also held year-round at the arena.
[edit] Football
Main article: FIU Golden Panthers Football
The school's football team competes in the annual Shula Bowl against in-state rival Florida Atlantic University. They play home games at FIU Stadium nicknamed "The Cage" and are coached by Mario Cristobal.
In 2005, the Golden Panthers moved to the Sun Belt Conference for football, making their transition from D-1AA to D-1A complete. In their first season in the Sunbelt FIU winning (5-6). Later on October 14, 2006, FIU and the University of Miami, began a cross-town rivalry after a football game in which both teams caused one of the largest brawls in collegiate history. However, games between the two schools are expected to continue as normal despite the violence that erupted in their first meeting. See Miami-FIU brawl.
[edit] FIU Stadium
Main article: FIU Stadium
The FIU Stadium (known to students and fans as "The Cage") serves as the home venue by the Golden Panthers football and track and field teams. The facility opened in 1995 and has a seating capacity of 18,000 spectators. The stadium is currently under expansion expected to be finished for the 2008 football season with a seating capacity of about 25,000. The stadium will continue to undergoe expansion to eventually reach a seating capacity of 45,000 by 2010.
[edit] Soccer
FIU has won two NCAA Division II national championships in men's soccer, in 1982 and 1984. To date these are the only national titles the university has achieved in athletic competition. The men's soccer team competes as an affiliate member of Conference USA, and is the only FIU sport to do so. This relationship began in 2005 and was formed since the Sun Belt Conference does not sponsor men's soccer. The team previously played in the Atlantic Soccer Conference from 2000 to 2004. The men's soccer team reached the Division I championship game in 1996, losing to St. John's University 4-1.
Recently, two new soccer fields were finished in the Summer of 2007 on the northwest side of campus. These fields will compliment the other two, making four soccer fields for use by both the men and women's soccer teams, as well as practice fields for the Golden Panthers football team.
[edit] Traditions
[edit] Fight Song
The FIU Fight Song is sung at sports games and official ceremonies. It underwent a major revision of the lyrics in 2006. The tune stayed the same but the lyrics however, are now very different.
[edit] Old Lyrics
From the green fields of Tamiami
To the north shore of Biscayne Bay
Here's the place where we can gather,
Where Golden Panthers hunt their prey
Anyone who tries to defeat us
Better think twice and stand aside,
Bring them here with their fear to Miami
And when they come we'll show our Panther Pride
Golden Panthers, see the paw,
We will fight, you'll feel the claw!
Let's go Panthers, Gold and Blue,
Fight For FIU!
[edit] New Lyrics
We are the panthers of FIU
the golden panthers of FIU
We will continue to fight
with all of our might
for victory for gold and blue
we stand together and proudly say
our golden panthers go all the way
We'll always strive for victory
blue-blooded through and through
'cause we're F-I-U-
Go F
Go I
Go U
Go F-I-U
Panthers fight!
Panthers fight!
Panthers fight!
(repeat)
[edit] External links
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| Football | Arkansas State Indians • Florida Atlantic Owls • Florida International Golden Panthers • Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns • Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks • Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders & Lady Raiders • North Texas Mean Green • Troy Trojans |
| Non-football | Arkansas–Little Rock Trojans • Denver Pioneers • New Orleans Privateers & Lady Privateers • South Alabama Jaguars • Western Kentucky† Hilltoppers & Lady Toppers |
| † - Will join the conference for football in 2009 | |
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| West Division | |
| East Division | |
| Soccer-Only Members |
Kentucky Wildcats (men's) • South Carolina Gamecocks (men's) • Florida International Golden Panthers (men's) • Colorado College Tigers (women's) |
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| Florida Gators • Florida State Seminoles • Miami Hurricanes • Florida International Golden Panthers • South Florida Bulls • Florida Atlantic Owls • UCF Knights • Bethune-Cookman Wildcats • Florida A&M University Rattlers • Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles • Jacksonville Dolphins • University of North Florida Ospreys • Stetson University Hatters |  |
