Massachusetts College Nicknames Quiz

Answer: Eagles

Boston College was established in 1863 in the Boston suburb of Chestnut Hill. The Eagles nickname dates from 1920 when a friar wrote to the college newspaper suggesting that this moniker should be adopted. The Eagles joined the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference in 2005.

The school's greatest achievements have come in men's ice hockey and women's lacrosse, having won multiple National Championships in both.

Answer: Greyhounds

Assumption University was founded in 1904 in Worcester by a Catholic order called the Augustinians of the Assumption. The Greyhounds are members of the NCAA Division II Northeast-10 Conference for all sports except women's ice hockey, for which they are members of the New England Women's Hockey Alliance.

Answer: Crimson

Harvard University is the oldest college in the USA, having being founded in 1636 in Cambridge. The Crimson nickname reflects the colours of their teams' uniforms. Harvard is one of the eight members of the prestigious Ivy League. Their gridiron squads won 13 national titles between 1890 and 1919, whilst, in all sports, they had won an amazing 159 national crowns by the end of the 2023-24 NCAA season.

Answer: Pioneers

Smith College is a women's college which was founded in Northampton, Hampshire County, in 1871. The Pioneers are members of the NCAA Division III New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). They field teams in 11 sports, including rowing, tennis and field hockey,

Answer: Minutemen

The University of Massachsuetts Amherst, usually abbreviated to UMass, is the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system. It was founded in 1863 in Hampshire County. The school had a number of nicknames, including Aggies and Redmen, before adopting Minutemen (Minutewomen for the women's teams) in 1972.

This name comes from the colonial era when local militia were ready at a minute's notice to fight the British. UMass has had a number of conference affiliations over the years - they are members of the Atlantic 10 Conference for most sports and the Hockey East Association for ice hockey, whilst their gridiron team, after a number of years as an independent, joined the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in 2025.

Answer: Huskies

Northeastern University was established in Boston in 1898. The Huskies nickname was adopted in 1927, prior to that the school had no official nickname. The Huskies are members of the NCAA Division I Coastal Athletic Association for most sports, with their ice hockey teams playing in the Hockey East Association. In 2009, the school discontinued its gridiron team after 76 years.

Answer: Engineers

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, often referred to as MIT, was established in Cambridge in 1861. The school's sports teams are nicknamed Engineers, although its mascot is "Tim the Beaver". MIT is a member of NCAA Division III New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference for most sports, and has achieved its greatest success in cross country, in which both men's and women's teams have won Division III National Championships.

Answer: Yellow Jackets

American international College was established in 1885 in Springfield, Hampden County. It was originally founded as a college for French Canadian students. The Yellow Jacket is an alternative name for a wasp, and is a fairly common nickname in NCAA sports. AIC is a member of the Division II Northeast-10 Conference for most sports, with their men's ice hockey squad competing in Atlantic Hockey America.

Answer: Terriers

Boston University was established under its original name of Newbury Biblical Institute in 1838, and chartered in 1869. The Terriers nickname was adopted in 1932, the Boston Terrier breed of dog having been first bred in 1869. The school is a member of the NCAA Division I Patriot League for most sports and the Hockey East Association in ice hockey.

The school's most successful team has been their men's ice hockey squad who won five National Championships between 1971 and 2009. BU discontinued its gridiron program in 1997 after 113 years.

Answer: Ephs

Williams College was established in 1793 in Williamstown, Berkshire County. The school's unique nickname of Ephs (pronounced like chiefs) is a tribute to college benefactor Ephraim Williams. Williams is a member of the NCAA Division III New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC).

The Ephs have won numerous National Championships at Division III level, with particular success being achieved in men's and women's tennis and women's crew.