UND phasing out Fighting Sioux nickname

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FIghting Sioux
The Ralph Engelstad Arena, a sports arena on the University of North Dakota campus in Grand Forks, N.D., features thousands of American Indian head logos. The school will face NCAA penalties for continuing to use the Fighting Sioux nickname, an NCAA executive told the university Tuesday.
Associated Press/Dale Wetzel

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) -- The University of North Dakota is one step closer to phasing out the Fighting Sioux nickname.

The university has been working to retire the nickname and accompanying American Indian head logo, which the NCAA deems offensive, and rebrand several organizations and media related to UND's athletics department. A large part of the transition process was to be completed by the end of the year.

The Grand Forks Herald reports that UND Athletics Director Brian Faison has announced that the UND Athletics fundraising organization will no longer be called the Fighting Sioux Club. It will be renamed the North Dakota Champions Club.

The school's sports network will be renamed UND Sports Network, while UND Athletics' official website will change from FightingSioux.com to UNDSports.com.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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