Watch the NCAA Tournament and you will come across some interesting team nicknames, some of which will cause curiosity about their origin.
Teams such as the Illinois Fighting Illini, for example.
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Brad Underwood’s Fighting Illini (26-8, 14-6 in Big Ten play) are slated as the No. 3 seed in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament. They will take on No. 14 seed Morehead State in the first round of March Madness.
Though Illinois has appeared in four straight NCAA Tournaments under coach Underwood, the Illini have yet to make it past the first weekend. Illinois lost to Arkansas 73-63 in the first round last year. But more to the point:
What exactly is an Illini? As Illinois looks to make a run through the 2024 NCAA Tournament, here’s everything you need to know about their name, including its history and origin:
Why is Illinois called the Illini?
According to the University of Illinois archives, the term “Fighting Illini” is believed to be first associated with one of Illinois’ athletic teams in January of 1911 in a basketball article.
