Idaho

The Idaho Vandals represent the spirit and tenacity of Idaho at the University of Idaho in Moscow, competing across 16 varsity sports with an enduring heritage since their 1917 namesake. The Vandal nickname arose from a 1917 basketball team’s fierce defense, inspiring a legacy of relentless competition. Idaho athletics boasts Olympic champions like decathlon gold medalist Dan O’Brien and shot-put silver medalist Joachim Olsen, alongside volleyball Olympian Angela Whyte and early Olympian Hec Edmundson. The program’s rich tradition includes NCAA team championships in boxing (1940, 1941, 1950) and the men’s cross country national title in 1982. The iconic Kibbie Dome, a 16,000-seat indoor stadium perched at 2,610 feet elevation, serves as a formidable fortress for football, basketball, and track. Rivalries such as the eight-mile Battle of the Palouse with Washington State and historic contests against Montana and Boise State fuel the competitive fire. As Big Sky Conference charter members, Vandals athletics consistently competes at high levels. Embodying their silver and gold colors drawn from Idaho’s mining heritage, the Vandals blend Olympic excellence, passionate tradition, and fierce competition.