Elon Phoenix Logo PNG
In intercollegiate competitions, the Elon Phoenix team is represented by a logo featuring a mythological creature adopted as a mascot in 2000. Its stylized execution symbolizes eternal triumph, belief in its invincibility, and constancy.
Elon University’s athletic history began in 1900 with early baseball games against Guilford College. Founded in 1889, the school tied its sports identity to religious roots, adopting the name Fightin’ Christians in 1921.
A major setback came in 1923, when a fire destroyed most of the campus. The university was rebuilt, and this event later shaped its future identity. In 1930, teams joined the North State Conference and remained there for decades.
In the 1970s, Kay Yow introduced women’s programs. Her 1973–74 basketball team finished 20–1 and won a state title before she moved to North Carolina State University.
Football reached its peak in 1980 and 1981 under Jerry Tolley, winning back-to-back NAIA national titles against Northeastern State and Pittsburg State.
In 1989, Elon moved to the South Atlantic Conference, and by 1999, it joined the NCAA Division I Big South Conference. That same year, women’s soccer won a conference title and reached the NCAA Tournament.
In 2000, the program adopted the Phoenix name, a reference to the 1923 fire. In 2003, Elon entered the Southern Conference, then joined the Colonial Athletic Association in 2014.
Women’s basketball gained prominence with back-to-back conference titles in 2017 and 2018, defeating Drexel and reaching the NCAA Tournament twice.
Meaning and History
The recent sports emblems of Elon University feature the Phoenix as envisioned by designers. From 2000 to 2015, the mythological creature had an elliptical shape. The head and semblance of wings were directed upwards. Behind were golden stripes denoting flames. At the bottom of the logo, it reads “Elon Phoenix.” Both words were in italics: the first in large red letters, the second in small black ones.
The 2016 redesign didn’t introduce any unique changes to the logo. Artists darkened the shades and covered a third of the phoenix with the white word “Elon.” At the bottom is an inverted golden triangle with concave edges and two dark outlines. This time, the font is not italicized but is in shape and closely resembles the previous version. Sharp serifs and strict geometric shapes characterize it.
What is Elon Phoenix?
Elon Phoenix is a sports division of Elon University in North Carolina. It comprises 17 student teams competing in the NCAA Division I (FCS). Since 2014, they have been members of the Colonial Athletic Association.
2000 – 2015
2016 – today
Elon Phoenix Basketball
The university’s basketball program was launched in 1911. The women’s team emerged in the early 1970s. Since then, it has participated in several conferences, district championships, and two NCAA tournaments. The men’s team has participated in the NAIA tournament three times and in the CollegeInsider.com and NCAA Division II tournaments once each.
Elon Phoenix Baseball
The first baseball game took place in 1900. Since 1997, the team’s head coach has been Mike Kennedy. The home stadium is located at Walter C. Latham Park. The team has participated in six NCAA tournaments and five conference championships.