Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks Logo PNG
The modern Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks logo is abstract, minimalist lettering that emphasizes the team’s name and colors. Although the modern logo is far removed from the original emblem in shape, color, and detail, it still looks unusual among many other logos.
The Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks trace back to October 8, 1908, when Omaha University was founded. Early teams were known as the Cardinals, then as the Indians from 1939 to 1971, with the mascot Oompah. In 1971, after criticism, students voted 18–7 to drop the name, and the university senate confirmed it 27–0. A final vote among the Demons, Mavericks, Roadrunners, and Unicorns gave the Mavericks 51 votes.
Football became the first major success. The program started in 1911 with a 25:0 win over Nebraska School for the Deaf. In 1954, under Lloyd Cardwell, the team went 10–0 and won the 1955 Tangerine Bowl against Eastern Kentucky, 7:6. It later claimed nine North Central Conference titles and reached the NCAA Division II playoffs ten times. Marlin Briscoe became the first Black starting quarterback in the American Football League with the Denver Broncos in 1968.
Softball added a national title in 1975, beating Northern Iowa 6:4, after frequent Women’s College World Series appearances from 1969 to 1979. Wrestling was the most successful program, winning NCAA Division II titles from 1991 to 2011, but was cut in 2011 as the program moved to Division I.
That same year, the university also discontinued football because of costs. Nebraska-Omaha entered the Summit League in 2011–12. Hockey, founded in 1997, reached the NCAA tournament in 2006 and 2011, then advanced to the Frozen Four in 2015, where it competed against the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs and the Denver Pioneers.
Meaning and History
The university introduced modern versions of its emblems in 1997, when it chose an unbranded bull as the main element. The university used this image for two periods before adopting a new abstract design.
What is Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks?
The Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks (currently known as the Omaha Mavericks) is an athletic department that participates in intercollegiate programs on behalf of the University of Nebraska Omaha. The department’s 16 student teams compete in NCAA Division I and are members of The Summit League. The exception is the hockey team, which competes in the NCHC.
1997 – 2003
The logo of that time depicts a bull’s head with powerful horns. The bull’s expression is stern and grim, shown by its furrowed brows and flared nostrils, as if it is preparing to attack or trying to scare the opponent with a menacing appearance. Two inscriptions appear: in the first row, the name “University of Nebraska Omaha” in lowercase; in the second row, the nickname “Mavericks” in uppercase with a curved bottom. The logo’s main colors are red-raspberry, black, light blue, and white. There is also a gray frame.
2004 – 2010
In 2004, management simplified the palette and abandoned most colors, leaving only dark raspberry, black, and white. They form a contrasting background and create an aura of tension. This psychological trick intimidates the opponent. The drawing style also changed: the number of strokes and small details decreased. The words have a dark frame.
2011 – today
An abstract version is now used, with only the brand palette retained from the previous logos. The design is shaped like the letter “O.” The inscriptions have disappeared.
Font and Colors
The modern version consists of two parts, combined into the shape of an “O.” They depict stylized horns with pointed ends. They do not intersect; they run parallel and point inward. Moreover, one element is red, and the other is black. The background represents negative space formed by two closed lines.