Bowling Green Falcons The Bowling Green Falcons are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Bowling Green State University , located in Bowling Green , Ohio . The Falcons participate in NCAA Division I ( FBS for football ) in the Mid - American Conference and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association . BGSU is one of only 15 universities in the nation that plays Division I FBS football and Division I men ' s ice hockey . The Falcons have won three consecutive conference championships in women ' s basketball in 2005 , 2006 , and 2007 . The women ' s soccer team captured the conference crown . The Falcons ' main rivals are the Toledo Rockets ; separated by just 20 miles ( 32 km ) of Interstate 75 in northwestern Ohio , the two schools celebrate a heated rivalry in several sports . The best known of these games is the annual football game , known as the Battle of I - 75 . The winner now takes home a bronzed I - 75 road sign . The winner used to take home the Peace Pipe , a Native American peace pipe placed upon a wood tablet . The 1984 Falcons hockey team defeated Minnesota - Duluth in the longest college hockey championship game in history , to win the NCAA National Championship , Bowling Green ' s first and only Division I national championship . Sports . The Falcons currently compete in seventeen sports at the NCAA Division I level : Men ' s intercollegiate athletic teams Women ' s intercollegiate athletic teams Football . The Bowling Green Falcons football team plays at Doyt Perry Stadium on the east end of the BGSU campus . The Falcons are a historical MAC powerhouse winning ten conference championships , second only to rival Miami ( Ohio ) ( 13 ) . Bowling Green has three prominent rivals including Miami ( Ohio ) and Kent State , but their fiercest rival is Toledo , with the two competing in the Battle of I - 75 with the game ' s winner taking home the Peace Pipe trophy . The Falcons and Kent State also compete for the Anniversary Award which commemorates the two institutions ' founding in 1910 with the passing of the Lowry bill . Famous Falcon football players include Kory Lichtensteiger , Shaun Suisham and Don Nehlen ( who would also become head football coach at Bowling Green ) . Notable Bowling Green coaches include College Football Hall of Fame members Doyt Perry and Don Nehlen , as well as Ohio State coach Urban Meyer . Women ' s basketball . The Bowling Green Falcons women ' s basketball team has had a long standing tradition of success , rivaling only the school ' s football team as the most prominent athletic team at the university . The women ' s basketball team has won ten conference tournaments , eleven regular season championships and five division championships . The women ' s basketball team has made the NCAA tournament nine times and the AIAW tournament ( the predecessor to the NCAA tournament ) twice , posting an overall tournament record of 6 - 12 . The 2006 - 07 team became the first women ' s basketball team from the MAC to reach the Sweet Sixteen after defeating 10th - seeded Oklahoma State 70 – 60 and upset 2nd - seeded Vanderbilt 60 – 59 . The current head coach of the Falcons is Curt Miller , who has over 200 wins record in 10 season as head coach . Miller has also lead the Falcons to five conference tournament championships and six consecutive regular season championships ( 2005 – 10 ) . Ice hockey . The Bowling Green Falcons men ' s ice hockey team is the only athletic program at Bowling Green State University to win a national title , coming during the 1984 NCAA Division I Men ' s Ice Hockey Tournament in Lake Placid , New York . The Falcons defeated Minnesota - Duluth 5 – 4 in the fourth overtime . The game is the longest NCAA ice hockey game ever played . The game was broadcasted on WBGU , called by John Bowers . John is now with the Cleveland Indians . Prominent coaches Ron Mason and Jerry York spent time as head coaches at Bowling Green before leaving for very successful stints at Michigan State and Boston College respectively . The Falcons are currently coached by first year head coach and former Miami RedHawks assistant coach and player , Chris Bergeron . He replaced interim head coach Denis Williams who took over for Scott Paluch for the 2009 - 10 season . Paluch had been the Falcons head coach from the 2002 - 03 season through the 2008 - 09 season , replacing Buddy Powers . Over seven seasons , Paluch posted a record of 84 - 156 - 23 ( . 363 ) , with his best season coming during the 2004 - 05 season in which the Falcons finished in 5th place in the CCHA with a 16 - 16 - 4 record . Under Paluch , the Falcons only got past the CCHA Tournament First Round once , defeating Lake Superior 2 games to 1 , before falling to Miami ( Ohio ) 2 games to 0 in the CCHA Quarterfinals . Facilities . Doyt Perry Stadium . Doyt Perry Stadium is home to Bowling Green ' s football team . Named in honor of former football coach Doyt Perry , the stadium was opened in 1966 replacing University Stadium . Through 37 seasons , the Bowling Green Falcons enjoyed an impressive 126 - 58 - 6 record at Doyt Perry Stadium . The stadium underwent a renovation in 1982 to expand its seating capacity from 23 , 272 to 30 , 599 . The stadium and MAC attendance record was set in 1983 when 33 , 527 fans saw Toledo defeat Bowling Green 6 – 3 in the annual Battle of I - 75 . The Doyt hosted its first Big Ten opponent on September 6 , 2008 as the Falcons were defeated by Minnesota 42 – 17 . The Sebo Athletic Center opened in 2007 and is located at the north end of Doyt Perry Stadium . The 33 , 500 sq . ft . center was named after J . Robert and Karen Sebo who donated $ 4 . 4 million to the project . Sebo Athletic Center is home to sports medicine and rehabilitation centers , strength and training facilities , coaches offices , teaching space for coaches and players , video equipment and viewing room and team meeting rooms . Stroh Center . The Bowling Green basketball teams and volleyball team will move into a new , state - of - the art convocation center in 2011 , replacing the aging Anderson Arena . The new 5 , 000 - seat facility will be named the Stroh Center , after Kermit and Mary Lu Stroh who donated $ 7 . 7 million to the project . The Stroh Center will also be home to the largest falcon statue in the world , a gift from North Carolina philanthropist Irwin Belk . The university broke ground on the Stroh Center on September 3 , 2009 , a few hours prior to the football team ' s season opener at nearby Doyt Perry Stadium . BGSU Ice Arena . BGSU Ice Arena is home to Bowling Green ' s men ' s hockey team . Opened in 1967 , the arena is located on the east end of campus across from the Student Recreation Center . The University had planned to renovate the arena in 2009 , but has since postponed the upgrades due to the current economic situation . Steller Field . Warren E . Steller Field has been home to the Falcons baseball team since 1964 . The field is named in honor of Warren E . Steller , a former instructor at the school who coached the school ' s football ( 1924 – 34 ) and baseball ( 1925 , 1928 – 59 ) teams . The stadium is located on the Bowling Green campus , next to BGSU Ice Arena and across the street from Perry Field House . Other Facilities . Mickey Cochrane Stadium is home to the Bowling Green ' s men ' s and women ' s soccer teams . Opened in 1966 , the stadium was renamed on October 11 , 1980 in honor of Bowling Green ' s first men ' s soccer coach . The stadium was renovated in 1993 and 1994 , which included the installation of a permanent grandstand that seats 1 , 500 . Cochrane Stadium is also home to the United States Youth Soccer Association ' s Olympic Development Program Region II camps . The stadium , which is located behind BGSU Ice Arena , has been listed as one of the finest pitches in the Midwestern United States . Cooper Pool is home to Bowling Green ' s women ' s swimming and diving team . Cooper Pool is located in the Student Recreation Center on the east end of campus . Whittaker Track is home to Bowling Green ' s women ' s track and field team . Located northeast of Doyt Perry Stadium , Whittaker Track underwent a renovation in 2007 and was reopened in 2008 in time to host the MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships . College Park Rugby Field is home to the Bowling Green State University Rugby Football Club . Located on the northwest corner of campus at the corners of North College and Poe Road . It is one of the few dedicated collegiate rugby pitches in the United States . It has grandstand seating for 150 , an electronic scoreboard , an onsite changing room and parking for 100 cars Notable Falcon Athletes . Several notable athletes have played collegiately for Bowling Green , among the most memorable is NBA legend Nate Thurmond . Thurmond , whose number 42 is the only basketball number retired by the university , graduated in 1963 before eventually being named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History . Bowling Green also was the collegiate home to one of the NBA ' s first ever draft picks , Chuck Share , who was selected by the Boston Celtics in the 1950 NBA Draft . Current NBA players Antonio Daniels and Keith McLeod also played at BGSU . BGSU ' s hockey team perhaps has provided the school with the greatest number of notable athletes . Two of its players were on the " Miracle on Ice " U . S . hockey team that captured the 1980 Winter Olympics gold medal : Ken Morrow and Mark Wells . Rob Blake also captured a gold medal for his country as Canada took up the top prize during the 2002 Winter Olympics . Two Falcons have also won the Hobey Baker award , given to the top collegiate hockey player each season : George McPhee ( 1982 ) and Brian Holzinger ( 1995 ) . In 1984 the Bowling Green Hockey Team won the National Championship in one of the longest games in college hockey history . Geno Cavillini scored at 7 : 11 in the 4th overtime to give the Falcons their first college hockey national championship . Also advancing to the NHL was current Atlanta Thrashers defenseman Ken Klee . Omar Jacobs became a household name to college football fans during his two years of starting for the Falcons . As the starting quarterback in 2004 , he passed for 4 , 002 yards and set the NCAA record for TD to INT rate , at 41 touchdowns to 4 interceptions . He entered the 2005 season on the Heisman radar nationwide , but he didn ' t have as good of a season as 2004 , and he missed two starts due to injury . Don Nehlen is perhaps one of the more memorable Falcon football players and coaches . He played quarterback for BG during his playing days before coaching the Falcons for nine seasons from 1968 - 1976 . Nehlen went on to coach West Virginia University where he would receive national attention . The legendary coach joined the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005 . Doyt Perry is another Hall of Fame coach who led the Falcons from 1955 through 1964 . The university ' s football stadium is now named in his honor . More recently , Urban Meyer coached the Falcons for two seasons in 2001 and 2002 before leaving for the University of Utah . Meyer is the former head coach at the University of Florida , which he led to victory in the BCS National Championship in 2007 and 2009 . Club Sports . Students at Bowling Green also have the opportunity to participating and compete in various sports at the club level . Club sports do not offer scholarships that varsity sports offer and are operated by the Department of Student Life . Rugby . The Bowling Green State University Rugby Football Club has been one of the more successful college rugby clubs in the United States . Established in 1968 , the club has over 80 members and fields five teams . The club has been embraced by the University as a quasi - varsity sport , with a home game fan attendance that makes it the fourth most watched sport on campus . The club averages nine wins for every loss with an all - time record of 1771 - 369 - 83 . BGSU RFC became the first Bowling Green athletic program ( varsity or club ) to compete outside of North America , touring England ( 1987 , 1995 ) , Wales ( 2000 ) , South Africa ( 2002 , 2007 ) and Ireland ( 2005 ) . The club is scheduled to tour England again in 2012 . BGSU RFC plays their home matches on the College Park Rugby Field on the corner of North College Avenue and Poe Road . Bowling Green Rugby has won 28 consecutive Mid American Conference titles , eleven Ohio Collegiate titles , eleven Michigan Collegiate titles and has received nine National Collegiate Championship bids . Six Falcons have received All - American honors including : Chuck Tunnacliffe ( 1986 ) , Tony Konczak ( 1988 ) , Wes Harmon ( 1991 ) , Scott Hogg ( 2003 ) and Rich Hines and Nick Viviani ( 2008 ) . Two Falcons have seen call ups to United States national rugby union team by Tunnacliffe in 1991 and Vince Staropoli in 1999 . Bowling Green finished ninth at the 2010 Collegiate Rugby Championship , a tournament broadcast live on NBC . Bowling Green ' s Rocco Mauer was the leading try scorer and the MVP of the tournament . Mauer signed a professional contract in 2012 to play full - time for the US national team . Pagentry . The Falcons . Before 1927 , BG teams were called the Normals or Teachers . Ivan Lake ( ’ 23 ) suggested the nickname after reading an article on falconry . Lake , managing editor and sports editor of the " Sentinel - Tribune " in Bowling Green at the time , proposed the name change because it fit headline space and because falcons were “ the most powerful bird for their size and often attacked birds two or three times their size . ” Bowling Green ' s athletic teams have been known as the " Falcons " ever since . School colors . The historical story behind how BGSU began using Brown and Orange as its school colors dates back to 1914 . Dr . Homer B . Williams , the university ' s first President , gathered a group of people which included a Dr . L . L . Winslow from Industrial Arts as a selection committee for the school ' s new colors . While on an a trolley to Toledo , Dr . Winslow sat behind a woman wearing a large hat adorned with beautiful brown and orange feathers . Dr . Winslow was so interested in the color scheme of the pair that he convinced the committee to approve the combination of Brown and Orange . School songs . Bowling Green State University has three common songs that can be heard being played by the Falcon Marching Band at various athletic and academic events . These three songs are the Alma Mater , " Forward Falcons " which is the school ' s fight song , and " Ay Ziggy Zoomba " which is played to hype up the crowd at events , which is more familiar to most students , alumni , and fans . Forward Falcons . Forward Falcons , < br > Forward Falcons , < br > Fight for victory . < br > < br > Show our spirit , < br > make them fear it , < br > Fight for dear Bee Gee . < br > < br > Forward Falcons , < br > Forward Falcons , < br > Make the contest keen . Hold up the fame < br > of our mighty name , < br > and win for Bowling Green Ay Ziggy Zoomba . Ay Ziggy Zoomba Zoomba Zoomba < br > Ay Ziggy Zoomba Zoomba Ze Ay Ziggy Zoomba Zoomba Zoomba < br > Ay Ziggy Zoomba Zoomba Ze Roll along you BG warriors < br > Roll along and fight for BGSU ! Freddie and Frieda Falcon . Freddie and Frieda Falcon are the mascots for Falcons athletics . The pair are anthropomorphized Peregrine Falcon s . They are somewhat of a rarity among collegiate mascots , being one of the few male - female mascot pairs in existence . In 2006 they were both named “ Best Collegiate Mascot ” at the 2006 NCA Cheer Camp in Nashville , Tennessee at Vanderbilt University . Freddie first appeared at Bowling Green sporting events in 1950 . Frieda made her first appearance in 1966 , but did not become an official mascot until 1980 . SICSIC . SICSIC are a six member , anonymous pep squad and the official spirit crew for BGSU , which began in 1946 . SICSIC members adorn Halloween masks throughout their time with the organization and remain anonymous until the final home basketball game of the member ' s senior year , where they are unmasked in front of the student body . BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame . Any former BG student - athlete out of school for at least 10 years , a coach , or a contributor to BGSU athletics is eligible for induction into the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame . Athletes who leave school early are not eligible to be placed on the ballot until 10 years after what would have been their senior year . Portraits of each of the over nearly 200 inductees are on display in the lobby of the BGSU Ice Arena . BG ’ s 1984 NCAA championship squad was inducted in 1993 as the first “ team ” ever named to the Hall of Fame .