Say goodbye to the Lawrence Vikings and hello to the Lawrence Fightin’ Warchs. Athletic Director Kim Tatro announced last week that the school will officially change the nickname of all of its athletic teams effective July 1. “We’ve had a good run as the Vikings but with the recent reorganization of the athletics program we feel a new era of Lawrence athletics is at hand… This new and unique [nickname and] logo will compliment that new era, and start to meld old traditions with the new.”
“The idea for the Fightin’ Warchs was originally a joke around the Athletic Department lunch table” Tatro said “But someone caught wind of it and it really grabbed people’s attention.”
The nickname refers to former Lawrence president Rik Warch, who retired at the end of the ’03-’04 school year. “Adding the word ‘fighting’ to a nickname is quite common in collegiate athletics,” explained Tatro. “Just think of the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish, the Illinois Fightin’ Illini, or the [Texas A&M Marching Band] Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band. Combining a rich collegiate athletic tradition with the name of one of the most popular figures in Lawrence history, we feel Fightin’ Warchs is both unique and intimidating. Go Warchs!”
Tatro did not know whether or not President Warch has actually ever been in a fight, and he could not be reached for comment as he is currently big game hunting in Africa.
Meet the Fightin’ Warchs -dlh
