Ithaca College Bombers: A Tradition of Excellence in Division III Athletics

Ithaca College, known for its commitment to academic and athletic excellence, boasts a rich history in NCAA Division III sports. The Ithaca Bombers, a unique and storied athletics program, have achieved considerable success across a wide range of sports. This article explores the college's athletic programs, its conference affiliations, facilities, and the intriguing story behind its distinctive "Bombers" nickname.

Joining the Liberty League

A significant development in Ithaca College athletics occurred on July 1, 2017, when the institution officially became the 11th full-time member of the Liberty League. The Bombers began competing in the Liberty League during the 2017-18 academic year. This move reunited Ithaca College with several of its traditional rivals from the Independent College Athletic Conference (ICAC).

The Liberty League emphasizes the importance of academics, prioritizing the overall quality of the educational experience and the successful completion of student-athletes’ academic programs. The conference seeks to integrate athletic activities into the educational experience.

A Look at the Liberty League

Founded as the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association in 1995, the conference was renamed the Liberty League in the summer of 2004. Founding members included Clarkson, Hamilton College, Hobart and William Smith, Rochester, RPI, St. Lawrence, Skidmore, and Union.

Besides Ithaca College, other full-time members of the Liberty League include former ICAC rivals such as Clarkson University, Hobart College, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), St. Lawrence University, and Union College. The remaining full-time members are Bard College, the University of Rochester, Skidmore College, Vassar College, and William Smith College. Associate members include Buffalo State College, Denison University, Haverford College, Mount Holyoke College, New York University, Springfield College, and St.

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Empire 8 and SUNYAC

Before joining the Liberty League, the Bombers were charter members of the Empire 8, along with Alfred University, Elmira College, Hartwick College, Nazareth University, St. John Fisher University, and Utica University. Stevens Institute of Technology joined the conference as a full member for the 2007-08 season, and Houghton College joined for the 2012-13 season.

Ithaca's wrestling team holds membership in the SUNYAC, which they joined in 2023-24. Prior to this, wrestling had been a member of the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference since 1991-92. The gymnastics team competes as members of the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association.

The Ithaca Bombers: Sports and Teams

The Ithaca Bombers encompass 25 teams representing Ithaca College in intercollegiate athletics. These teams compete in the NCAA Division III and are members of the Liberty League and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).

The program includes a wide array of sports for both men and women:

Men's Sports: Basketball, soccer, cross country, lacrosse, swimming & diving, rowing, tennis, track and field, wrestling, football, baseball, and crew.
Women's Sports: Basketball, soccer, cross country, lacrosse, swimming & diving, rowing, tennis, track and field, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, volleyball, crew & sculling, and softball.

The Unique "Bombers" Nickname

The Ithaca athletics nickname "Bombers" stands out in NCAA athletics due to its unique and somewhat obscure origins. Originally, Ithaca College's sports teams were called the Cayugas. The shift to "Bombers" occurred sometime in the 1930s. Other names that have been used for Ithaca College's teams include: Blue Team, Blues, Blue and Gold, Collegians, and the Seneca Streeters.

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Several theories attempt to explain the change to "Bombers":

Yankees Connection: The most common explanation suggests that the school's baseball uniforms-white with navy blue pinstripes and an interlocking "IC" on the left chest-resembled the uniforms of the New York Yankees, known as the Bronx Bombers.
Basketball Team: Another possibility is that the name referred to the Ithaca basketball team of that era and their tendency for half-court "bombs".
Grumman Aircraft: Grumman Aircraft manufactured airplanes, including bombers, in Ithaca for many years, potentially influencing the name.

Controversy and Mascot Search

The "Bombers" nickname has occasionally sparked controversy due to its perceived violent connotations. It has been a source of concern for Ithaca's pacifist community, but the athletics department has consistently maintained that it has no intention of changing the name. The athletics logo formerly incorporated World War II-era fighter planes but no longer does. The school also lacks a physical mascot to represent the name.

In 2010, Ithaca College launched a contest to choose a mascot. The contest received over 250 suggestions and narrowed the field down to three finalists: a phoenix, a flying squirrel, and a Lake Beast. However, no official mascot was ultimately selected.

Athletic Facilities

Ithaca College provides its athletes with top-notch facilities to support their training and competition:

Hill Center

Ithaca College remodeled the Hill Center in 2013. The building houses the Ben Light Gymnasium, featuring hardwood floors, as well as coaches' offices. It serves as the home for Ithaca's men's and women's basketball teams, women's volleyball team, wrestling, and gymnastics.

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Athletics & Events Center

The Athletics & Events Center, a $65.5 million facility funded by donors, opened in 2011. The facility is primarily used by varsity athletes. It includes a 47,000 square foot, 9-lane 50-meter Olympic-size pool and Glazer Arena, a 130,000 square foot event space. The arena functions as a track and field center and a practice facility for lacrosse, field hockey, soccer, baseball, tennis, and football.

Robert B. Tallman Rowing Center

The men's and women's crew programs are based at the Robert B. Tallman Rowing Center, a $2.6 million boathouse dedicated in 2012. The new boathouse replaced the Haskell Davidson Boathouse, which was constructed in 1974 on Cayuga Inlet. The old boathouse was torn down to make way for the new facility.

Football Legacy

The Ithaca College football team, coached by Jim Butterfield for 27 years, has a storied history. The team has won three NCAA Division III Football Championships in 1979, 1988, and 1991, a total surpassed only by Augustana College, Mount Union, and Wisconsin-Whitewater. Bomber football teams have made seven appearances in the Division III national championship game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, a record since surpassed by Mount Union in 2003.

The Bombers engage in a fierce rivalry with the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons for the Cortaca Jug, a tradition that began in 1959, adding to the already intense competition.

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