Niagara Purple Eagles Explained

Niagara Purple Eagles
University:Niagara University
Association:NCAA
Conference:MAAC (primary)
Atlantic Hockey America (men's ice hockey)
Northeast Conference (bowling)
Division:Division I
Director:Simon B. Gray
Location:Lewiston, New York
Teams:19
Soccerstadium:Niagara Field
Baseballfield:John P. Bobo Field
Basketballarena:Gallagher Center
Icehockeyarena:Dwyer Arena
Golfcourse:Niagara Falls Country Club
Arena2:Classic Lanes in Kenmore (bowling)
Mascot:Monte
Nickname:Purple Eagles
Pageurl:http://www.purpleeagles.com

The Niagara Purple Eagles are athletics teams that represent Niagara University in college sports. Part of the NCAA's Division I, the Purple Eagles field 19 varsity level teams. The Purple Eagles are full members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and the ice hockey-only Atlantic Hockey America, and are also members of the Northeast Conference for women's bowling. Between 1946 and 1958, Niagara was a member of the Western New York Little Three Conference.

In 2012, the women's ice hockey program was replaced by women's track and field. In 2023 women's bowling was added with a number of players from closing Medaille University, their head coach and their assistant coach.

Teams

Basketball
Bowling
Cross Country Cross Country
Golf Golf
Lacrosse
Soccer
Swimming & Diving Softball
Tennis Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track and field
Volleyball

Club teams

Teams competing at the club level are:

Former sports

Football

See main article: Niagara Purple Eagles football. Niagara first played football in 1897 and continued until suspending operations after the 1909 season. The Purple Eagles returned for the 1914 season and kept playing college football until World War II made the 1941 season Niagara's last until 1946. For the third time, the Purple Eagles suspended their team after the 1950 season, only to return in 1967. After 20 seasons of play that had seven winless seasons with six occurring in a span of seven years, the Purple Eagles dropped football for the fourth and final time after the 1987 season. Over the span of 67 seasons, the team went won 182 games, lost 205 games, and had 31 ties. In the 1975 club season they played the Heritage Bowl in Worcester, Massachusetts, losing to Assumption College (27-7). The Eagles had 37 seasons in which they finished with more wins and ties than losses, though the Purple Eagles finished on an 18-game losing streak in over three seasons, their last win occurring in October 1985.

The most wins they had in a season was 1902, in which they went 9–3–1, while the most losses they had in a season was 1922, when they finished 1–8–1.[1]

Notable players

Chris Cappanola

Women's ice hockey

See main article: Niagara Purple Eagles women's ice hockey.

Rivalries

See also: Battle of the Bridge (Canisius–Niagara). Niagara's fiercest rivals include:

All-Americans

NCAA postseason appearances

2013, 2008, 2004, 2000

2011, 2010, 2009

2007, 2005, 1970

2005, 2003

2006

2002

1998

2012

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament championships

2007, 2005

2012

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season titles

College Hockey America Tournament championships

College Hockey America regular-season titles

Atlantic Hockey Association regular-season titles

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Year by Year Results. www.cfbdatawarehouse.com. 20 April 2018. 21 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180421031057/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/incomplete_data/year_by_year_discontinued.php?teamid=2253. dead.