Graceland Yellowjackets
{{Short description|Athletic teams that represent Graceland University}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox school athletics
| name = Graceland Yellowjackets
| logo = Graceland University shield.svg
| logo_width =
| university = Graceland University
| association = NAIA
| conference = Heart of America Athletic Conference
| director = Brady McKillip
| location = Lamoni, Iowa
| teams = 22 (10 men’s, 9 women’s, 3 co-ed)
| stadium = Huntsman Field
| basketballarena = Morden Center (formerly Closson Center)
| baseballfield = Chase Stadium
| softballstadium = HMP Stadium
| soccerstadium = John Rasmussen Soccer Complex
| mascot = Sting
| nickname = Yellowjackets
| fightsong = Graceland Forever
| pageurl = www.gujackets.com
}}
The Graceland Yellowjackets are the athletic teams that represent Graceland University, located in Lamoni, Iowa, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) since the 1971–72 academic year.{{cite web|url=http://www.gujackets.com/f/Quick_Facts.php|title=Quick Facts - Graceland University|website=Gujackets.com|access-date=9 January 2019}}
Over 50% of the students on Graceland's Lamoni campus are student athletes.[http://www.gujackets.com/f/Quick_Facts.php Athletics]
Sports
Graceland competes in 22 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, track & field (indoor and outdoor), volleyball and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, flag football, golf, soccer, softball, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; and co-ed sports include cheerleading, dance and rodeo.
| class="wikitable" style="float:center; clear:right; margin:0 0;" | ||
| {{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Graceland Yellowjackets|Men's sports|Women's sports|Co-ed sports}} | ||
| Baseball | Basketball | Cheerleading |
| Basketball | Cross country | Dance |
| Cross country | Flag football | Rodeo |
| Football | Golf | |
| Golf | Soccer | |
| Soccer | Softball | |
| Track and field† | Track and field† | |
| Volleyball | Volleyball | |
| Wrestling | ||
| colspan="3" style="{{NCAA secondary color cell|Graceland Yellowjackets}}" | {{small|† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor}} |
A member of the Heart of America Athletic Conference, Graceland University sponsors teams in ten men's and eight women's varsity sports.
National championships
=Team=
| class="wikitable" |
| {{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Graceland Yellowjackets|Sport|Association|Division|Year|Opponent/Runner-up|Score}} |
| align="center"
|rowspan="1"| Men's soccer (1){{cite web|title=NAIA Men's Soccer Championship History|url=https://www.naia.org/sports/msoc/History/MSOC_Championship_Records.pdf|work=NAIA|accessdate=26 December 2024}} |rowspan="1"| NAIA |rowspan="1"| Single | 2006 | 0−0, (7–6 pen.) |
Individual programs
=Football=
In 2005, just four years after completing a season of 0–10, the Yellowjackets won their first HAAC championship title since 1975 and qualified for the NAIA national championships for the first time in the school's history.[http://www.gujackets.com/f/Football_History/HAAC_Championships_By_School.php HAAC Championships by School (Football)] Herbert Goodman (1998–1999), and Jeff Criswell (1983–1986) went on to play in the NFL. Jerome Messam (2007–2009) as of 2018 plays in the CFL. The coach as of 2017 for the Yellowjackets was Marc Kolb.[http://www.gujackets.com/staff.php Staff directory]
=Basketball=
In 2018 the men's basketball team won the NAIA Division I National Championship. This was the Yellowjackets first appearance in the tournament.
School songs
The school's fight song, Graceland Forever, was written by Warren McElwain in 1925.{{Cite web |url=http://www.graceland.edu/alumni/traditions-trivia.cfm |title=Graceland Traditions & Trivia |access-date=July 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404030720/http://www.graceland.edu/alumni/traditions-trivia.cfm |archive-date=April 4, 2015 |url-status=dead }} The school's alma mater was written by Roy A. Cheville in 1926.
Notable alumni
- Jeff Criswell – offensive lineman for Indianapolis Colts (1987), New York Jets (1988–1994) and Kansas City Chiefs (1995–1998)
- Herbert Goodman – running back rushing for over 2,000 yards; current professional mixed martial arts fighter{{cite web|title=Herbert Goodman MMA Bio|url=http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Herbert-Goodman-17512|access-date=August 28, 2017}}
- Caitlyn Jenner – 1976 Olympic gold medalist, who was also selected by the Kansas City Kings in the 1977 NBA draft despite not having played ball for Graceland; Jenner remains the school's only draft pick by any major pro sports league
- Kevin Souter{{cite web|url=https://www.gujackets.com/sports/msoc/2007-08/bios/Kevin_Souter|publisher=Graceland University|website=Graceland University Athletics|access-date=10 June 2025|title=Kevin Souter|url-status=live|archive-date=10 June 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610011101/https://www.gujackets.com/sports/msoc/2007-08/bios/Kevin_Souter}} – Kansas City Wizards in Major League Soccer
- Jerome Messam – running back for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
{{Heart of America Athletic Conference navbox}}