Incarnate Word Cardinals Logo PNG
The Incarnate Word Cardinals logo visually represents their mascot, making the team’s emblem unique. The sports division uses this symbol to represent the team’s colors and reflect state affiliation.
Incarnate Word Cardinals trace their origins to 1881, when the Sisters of the Congregation of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament opened a Catholic school in San Antonio, later named St. Louis College. In 1909, it became the University of the Incarnate Word, and the red cardinal was adopted as the mascot, tied to the red and blue colors.
For most of the 20th century, UIW competed in NAIA and small associations. A shift began in the late 1990s, and in 1999–2000, the basketball program entered NCAA Division II.
Football started in 2009, with the first game on August 29. Home games were played at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium, funded by Tom and Gayle Benson, with about 6,000 seats and a record crowd of 6,498 in 2016 against Houston Baptist.
In 2013, UIW moved to NCAA Division I and joined the Southland Conference. Football entered the league in 2014 after a year as an independent, facing Nicholls State and McNeese.
The team shared the conference title in 2016 and won it in 2021, defeating Houston Baptist 55:14, earning an FCS playoff berth. The program has four Southland titles and four playoff appearances with a 4:4 record.
Basketball produced Danuel House Jr., later with the Houston Rockets in the NBA. Fencing reached the NCAA Championships in 2016, 2017, and 2024. In November 2021, UIW accepted an invitation to the Western Athletic Conference, but in June 2022, it remained in the Southland Conference.
Meaning and History
The team’s logo fully represents the university’s colors (red, black, and white) and its mascot, the cardinal bird. The last two versions of the emblem differ significantly: the older version had inscriptions and depicted the whole bird, whereas the newer one features only the head turned to the right.
What is Incarnate Word Cardinals?
The Incarnate Word Cardinals is an athletic department that participates in intercollegiate programs, comprising 23 student teams. It belongs to the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, representing the university in NCAA Division I as a member of the Southland Conference. The football team also competes in the WAC, and fencers and swimmers participate in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
1998 – 2010
The logo adopted at the end of the 20th century is multi-component. It consists of three elements: a flying red cardinal, the word “Cardinals” with a significantly enlarged first letter, and a barely noticeable phrase, “UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD,” written in small black font at the bottom.
2011 – today
Since 2011, the distinctive symbol of the Incarnate Word Cardinals has been a bird’s head, which looks menacing and always faces right.
Incarnate Word Cardinals Basketball Logo
The men’s basketball team joined the Southland Conference and NCAA Division I in 2013. The team has participated once in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament and three times in the NCAA Division II tournament.
Incarnate Word Cardinals Baseball Logo
The top baseball team emerged in 1987. Since then, they have attempted to reach Major League Baseball eight times.
Font and Colors
The cardinal’s head is drawn simply without attempting to convey realism. Artists outlined the main contours of the eye and beak with broad black lines, leaving the inner space free and red. This contrasts with the 1998-2010 version, where designers had to detail the wings and tail feathers.