University of North Dakota nickname options down to three

The University of North Dakota has narrowed the list of possible new school nicknames to three and will hold a run-off vote to determine its new identity soon.

The University of North Dakota has narrowed the list of possible new school nicknames to three, and will hold a run-off vote to determine its new identity soon, reports Anna Burleson of the Grand Forks Herald. 

The eligible voting body, which includes current students, UND employees, alumni, donors, retirees and season ticket holders can choose between Fighting Hawks, Roughriders or Nodaks as the new nickname for the school that had long been know as the Fighting Sioux. 

After the first round of voting, Sundogs and North Stars were dropped from the ballot. The Fighting Hawks led voting with 31%, followed by Roughriders at 21%, Nodaks at 20%, North Stars at 14% and Sundogs at 13%.

UND was forced to retire the Fighting Sioux nickname in 2012 in the face of NCAA sanctions after it was determined to be inappropriate.

The school has simply been known as the University of North Dakota, North Dakota or UND at athletic events since abandoning the old nickname. 

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