University of Portland Basketball, portland

Though the school itself was established in 1901, the University of Portland's sports teams didn't become the Pilots until 1935. The new nickname reflected a budding nautical spirit around campus—a fitting ethos for a school that overlooks the Willamette River. That new era saw many changes: a pilot's wheel became the university's logo; the newspaper was renamed The Beacon; and Wally Pilot relinquished his seat in Congress to become the new mascot. Today, the Pilots represent their school across a variety of men's and women's sports, taking the field or the court in front of a supportive fan base led by the Purple Pride, a group that strives to increase student involvement in university athletics.