While the Illini ... "Fighting Illini" was formally adopted as the school's athletics nickname, but it's believed to have happened between 1921 and 1930. Illinois currently does not have a mascot.

Watch the NCAA Tournament and you will come across some interesting team nicknames, some of which will cause curiosity about their origin. Teams such as the Illinois Fighting Illini, for example.

“I don’t think it would be a great idea to bring in a new mascot when we are already known as the Fighting Illini.” However ... Yun notes that although many people have strong ties to the old mascot, ...