University of Delaware Athletics

The Fightin' Blue Hens compete in NCAA Division I, meaning big-time college athletics with full scholarships and serious recruiting. Delaware awards over $16.3 million in athletic scholarships across 21 varsity sports. Only 3.3% of the 18,812 students are varsity athletes, keeping sports as an exciting sideline rather than campus obsession. The Blue Hens recently joined Conference USA after years in the Colonial Athletic Association. Delaware football built a legendary program that won six FCS national championships between 1971 and 2003. The 22,000-seat Delaware Stadium still packs with fans for football Saturdays. Basketball and field hockey also draw strong followings. Traditional rivalries with Villanova and James Madison create intense matchup weekends. The unusual "Blue Hens" nickname comes from Revolutionary War soldiers from Delaware who fought with blue-feathered fighting roosters.