Sharks (Long Island University teams)
Long Island University changed the nickname of its sports teams in 2019 from “Blackbirds” to “Sharks.” The “Sharks” nickname beat out “Eagles” and “Falcons” in a vote by student and alumni.
Wikipedia: Long Island University
Long Island University (LIU) is a private university in the U.S. state of New York, overseas, and online. The university offers more than 500 academic programs at two main campuses, LIU Post and LIU Brooklyn, as well as non-residential programs at LIU Brentwood, LIU Riverhead, and LIU Hudson at Rockland and Westchester. LIU has NCAA Division I and II athletics and hosts the annual George Polk Awards in Journalism.
LIU Post Pioneers
General | 5/15/2019 10:00:00 PM | Casey Schermick - Director of Athletic Media Relations
Welcome to the Shark Tank: LIU Chooses Sharks as New Mascot
NEW YORK - Long Island University students and alumni made history today by choosing the Shark as the mascot of its expanded NCAA Division I program, which will unite the Brooklyn and Post campuses. Jaws made us fear the shark, and television shows like Shark Tank, Shark Week, and Sharknado are staples of popular culture. Long Island University is the first NCAA Division I program on the East Coast to make the Shark its mascot.
LIU teams will compete as Sharks beginning this September. The shark is an animal which embodies strength, resolve, and brilliance, all of which characterize the spirit of LIU and the individuals who comprise our extraordinary University.
The Shark was selected as the favorite mascot from among three finalists by a vote of LIU students and alumni. Voting was held from April 23, 2019 through May 14, 2019 with the Shark besting its competitors, the Eagle and Falcon.
Twitter
LIUPOSTWrestle
@LiupostW
The new chapter at LIU has begun.
From Pioneers and Blackbirds to THE SHARKS.
GO SHARKS!!!!! @ Pratt Recreation https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxge82llPF7pDY9xVrLepjIu9wbxXKFYZeHWVs0/?igshid=sxsafj1or03y …
11:00 PM - 15 May 2019
New York (NY) Post
LIU finally settles on a new nickname
By Ted Holmlund May 16, 2019 | 3:29am
(...)
The school, on the verge of merging its Brooklyn and Post athletic programs, on Wednesday has renamed its team the Sharks. The nickname beat out Eagles and Falcons in a vote by student and alumni.
But there were many former LIU Brooklyn athletes and alumni that wanted to keep the Blackbirds nickname.
On March 25, a group of 12 former LIU Brooklyn athletes and alumni met with the school’s president, Kimberly Cline, to address their concerns. But she told them they were getting rid of Blackbirds because they didn’t want to diminish Post, and that the university also heard from people that the Blackbird was an offensive racist mascot, a source, who attended the meeting, told The Post’s Zach Braziller.
Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle
Bye-Bye Blackbirds, Hello Sharks at LIU
May 16, 2019 JT Torenli
(...)
Following a survey of students and alumni, along with plenty of criticism from old-school traditionalists, the fearsome Shark was selected as the singular mascot for both LIUs.
Voting on the new nickname took place between April 23 and May 14, giving current and former students a chance to weight in on the change.
(...)
The announcement that the two schools would combine their athletic programs into a single Division I program came down last October, signifying an end to the LIU-Brooklyn era, which began in 1926.
The Post campus, founded in 1954, will now host most of the athletic teams that used to compete here in Brooklyn on its Brookville, N.Y. campus, though the Sharks’ men’s basketball program will still by based in our fair borough.
Twitter
David Griggs
@DavidGPuppet
Replying to @jstalica78
Not a fan!! The Blackbirds was a GREAT nickname!! It’s a somewhat obscure species of bird that was getting some love!! WHY CHANGE TO THE SHARKS!!?? #BringBackTheBlackBird!! @LIUAthletics
11:32 AM - 16 May 2019