Athletic director Timothy Wheaton Varsity teams 32 varsity | ||
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The Colby Mules (colloquially known as the White Mules) are the varsity and club athletic teams of Colby College, a liberal arts college located in Waterville, Maine. Colby's varsity teams compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. The College offers 32 varsity teams, plus club sports, intramural sports called I-play.
Contents
Athletic facilities
The Harold Alfond Athletic Center is the center of athletic life at Colby, and home to the Colby White Mules. In addition to athletic offices, it contains:
Surrounding the Harold Alfond Athletic Center:
In addition to the on-campus facilities, the White Mules also utilize:
Alpine skiing
The Colby Alpine Ski Team received varsity status in 1986 and won five Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA) Division II titles between 1987 and 1992. That success prompted the College to upgrade the program to Division I status in 1993. Abbi Lapthrop '06 captured the NCAA giant slalom title at the NCAA Skiing Championships at Steamboat Springs, Colorado in 2006. Lathrop is the first Colby athlete to compete against Division I schools and win a national title.
Basketball
1990, 1991, 1993, and 1998 Eastern College Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament champions. The Mules were featured by the Bleacher Report in 2014 for their bench celebrations.
Crew
2003 winner of the NCAA Division III Rowing Championship. Men and women compete in the New England Rowing Conference.
Football
The Colby-Bates-Bowdoin rivalry dates back to 1965.
Ice Hockey
Ice Hockey formerly competed in the ECAC Hockey conference (men from 1961–64 and women from 1993-1999); now both teams compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference.
Nordic skiing
Competes in the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association.
Club teams
Separate from the Colby Mules, club sports are recognized but not directly supported by the college.
Nickname, symbol, and mascot
The White Mule was adopted as Colby's mascot in 1923 when Colby Echo editor Joseph Coburn Smith '24 suggested in an editorial that the success of the football team had made its customary "dark horse" label obsolete. As for a mascot, currently there's a costume with a giant mule's head, known to students as "Morty."