AIC Yellow Jackets Logo PNG
The sports division of the AIC Yellow Jackets, whose logo reflects the mascot, an “angry wasp,” aims to intimidate opponents immediately. The color palette matches the name and is memorable and recognizable thanks to the black-and-yellow stripes characteristic of this insect.
American International College was founded on July 18, 1885, in Springfield, Massachusetts, and initially focused on education rather than athletics. Organized sports under the name Yellow Jackets began in the 1933–1934 season with football, basketball, and baseball.
By 1934–1935, men’s soccer was added, and the nickname and gold-black-white colors became fixed elements of the program. In 1948, hockey was introduced, and in 1961, it joined ECAC Hockey alongside other eastern colleges.
In the 1981–1982 season, Mario Elie joined the basketball team, later becoming an NBA champion with the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs. In 1985, AIC won a regional basketball title, marking a key result for the program.
Hockey moved to Division III in 1984 after structural changes, then struggled through the 1990s despite occasional conference success. In 1991, the baseball team reached the College World Series, followed by softball appearances in NCAA Division II tournaments in 1996 and 1997.
In 1998, AIC hockey entered Division I through the MAAC, but results remained weak against programs like Bentley and Merrimack for many seasons.
A breakthrough came in 2016 with coach Eric Lang. In 2018–2019, AIC won its first conference title and reached the NCAA tournament, defeating St. Cloud State before losing to Denver.
The team returned to the NCAA tournament in 2021 and 2022. In November 2024, the college announced a return to Division II, effective in the 2025–2026 season, as part of financial adjustments.
Meaning and History
Since 2001, the team’s emblem has depicted Rex, the mascot of American International College. The insect is running and looks menacing as it approaches opponents. The stinger is made distinct, large, and expressive. This is another element of intimidating opponents. The wasp is drawn with very muscular arms (in white gloves) and legs (in white boots). On the black shirt is the acronym for the college’s name, “AIC.”
In 2009, the logo was revised. Rex’s stinger was elongated. The distance between the black stripes was made larger. The “fluffy” effect was removed. The wasp’s antennae changed shape, becoming much shorter and sharper. The colors used in the AIC Yellow Jackets logo fully align with the wasp theme: black, white, and yellow. The latter is represented by Pantone 1235 and Hex FFCC33 shades.
What is AIC Yellow Jackets?
AIC Yellow Jackets is the collective name for the sports teams of American International College, located in Springfield, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast-10 conference and compete in NCAA Division II, except for the hockey team, which plays in Division I.
2001 – 2008
2009 – today
AIC Yellow Jackets Hockey
The men’s hockey team is a member of Atlantic Hockey and plays at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. It had its first season in 1948-1949. The team is coached by Eric Lang (as of 2019). It has a separate logo featuring a wasp with a hockey stick.
AIC Yellow Jackets Football
The football team appeared at American International College in the 1933-1934 academic season. It achieved significant success at the NCAA level in 2008 and 2013.