February 18, 2006

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University unveiled a new athletic logo for the Longwood Lancers at Willet Hall on February 18, 2006, just before the Lancers tipped-off against James Madison University at 3:00 p.m. The men’s basketball game welcomed JMU to Longwood for the first time, and allowed students, faculty, staff and alumni to celebrate the launch of the new logo, the latest milestone in Longwood University’s ongoing NCAA Division I Reclassification.

The new logo was conceived and created by nine undergraduate graphic design students at Longwood: Rachel Battleson, Crista Haebler, Brooke Hill, Jacob Krekorkian, Michael Maslaney, Tim Owens, Thomas Santerre, Leslie Quenneville and Emily Wilson.

Led by Chris Register, chair of Longwood’s art department and an accomplished graphic designer, the team began brainstorming logo concepts in November. More than 20 concepts were whittled down to 12 and finally to two over a six-week period. The final design was approved by the Longwood athletics department and university administrators January 15.

“The new logo reflects Longwood’s commitment to succeeding at the highest level of college sports,” said Patricia Cormier, president of Longwood University. “Division I means greater visibility for all Longwood has to offer, and our new logo is the perfect spark to keep all of us fired up about the future.”

Longwood University began its reclassification from NCAA Division II to Division I in 2002-03 with its one-year “exploratory period” and is currently in year three of the four-year transition. All of Longwood’s men’s and women’s athletic teams, including basketball, baseball, soccer, golf, cross country, softball, field hockey, women’s lacrosse, and tennis, currently compete under all Division I rules and regulations.

“Longwood is on the move in the sports arena and in the classroom,” said Rick Mazzuto, athletic director for Longwood University. “We’re excited to raise a new banner that all our teams can rally around, and we hope to one day see it on the March Madness tournament bracket.”