The Spirit Lake Sioux tribe of North Dakota recently authorized the University of North Dakota to use the Fighting Sioux nickname and Indian head logo, according to the Associated Press. The tribe approved the nickname and logo by a vote of 764-371 last Wednesday. The University's use of the tribe's name and symbol previously stirred controversy within the NCAA, as some schools refused to compete against the University of North Dakota due to the alleged political incorrectness of the nickname and logo. The NCAA has said it will allow the university to use the name and logo if the two Sioux tribes of North Dakota both agree that the nickname and logo are not offensive and can be used by athletic programs. As of yet, no vote has been held by the second tribe, Standing Rock Sioux, whose leaders disapprove of the nickname and logo.
Twenty-one of 34 Dartmouth varsity teams will receive public commendation for having Academic Progress Rate scores in the top 10 percent for their respective sports in the 2008-2009 season. The NCAA Academic Progress Rate measures academic eligibility and retention of student-athletes on a 1-1,000 scale, with a score of 1,000 indicating that every athlete on the team will either enroll in academic programs or have graduated by the following term. The NCAA penalizes teams scoring below 925 for consecutive years. All Dartmouth varsity teams measured above the penalty threshold, with the 21 recognized teams scoring a perfect 1,000. Of all programs honored by the NCAA, Dartmouth is tied with Brown for second place in the rankings, while Harvard and Princeton are tied for fifth. Ivy League teams account for almost one-fifth of the 767 teams recognized by the NCAA across 211 Division I schools.
In its last match of the season, the Dartmouth women's tennis team concluded its campaign with a 6-1 loss to top-ranked Harvard last Wednesday. The Big Green finished fifth in the league, while the Crimson capped off its turnaround season by claiming a share of the Ivy women's tennis title with Princeton. After quick Dartmouth losses at the No. 1, No. 2 positions, the Big Green rallied at the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 positions, as Jesse Adler '10, Georgiana Smyser '11 and Ryan Riechel '11 forced third-set tiebreakers in their respective matches. Harvard, however, eventually overpowered the trio with in the third set, and also took the doubles point. The only Dartmouth point came from Carley Markovitz '10, who defeated Harvard's Holly Cao at the fifth spot, 6-3, 6-4.
