The establishment of athletics at UW-Green Bay occurred in September of 1969 with men’s soccer followed by men’s basketball in the same year, four years after the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay was founded. In November of 1969, the University applied for membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
In May of 1970, the Phoenix became the mascot and the official name of UW-Green Bay athletic teams. In December 1973, the women’s basketball team made its intercollegiate debut. Prior to the 1973-74 season, the men’s basketball team and men’s soccer team moved to the NCAA Division II ranks. UW-Green Bay requested to enter NCAA Division I athletics in September 1979 and was granted that status beginning Fall of 1981. In 1982, the University joined seven more schools to form the Mid-Continent Conference (MCC) to compete in NCAA Division I athletics. Women’s programs transitioned from the NAIA to Division I in 1987-1988 when they joined the North Star Conference. In 1994-1995, the men’s and women’s programs joined the Midwestern Collegiate Conference which changed its name to the Horizon League in 2001.
Review this section to learn about and relive some of the best student-athletes, coaches, and teams in Phoenix Athletics history.
