Editing College of William & Mary (section)

==Athletics==
{{Main|William & Mary Tribe}}
[[File:William and Mary Military Appreciation game (7514054).jpg|thumb|[[William & Mary Tribe football|Tribe football]] players celebrate a touchdown during a game at [[Zable Stadium]] in 2022]]
Formerly known as the "Indians", William & Mary's athletic teams are now known as the "Tribe". The college fields [[NCAA Division I]] teams for men and women in basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track and field. Also, there are women's field hockey, lacrosse, and volleyball squads, as well as men's baseball and football. In the 2004–05 season, the Tribe garnered five [[Colonial Athletic Association]] titles, leading the conference with over 80 titles. That same year, several teams competed in the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] Championships, with the football team appearing in the [[Division I-AA]] national semifinals. The men's cross country team finished 8th and 5th in Division I [[NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship]] in 2006 and 2009, respectively. The William & Mary men's basketball team is one of four original Division I schools that have never been to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

In May 2006, the NCAA ruled that the athletic logo, which includes two green and gold feathers, could create an environment offensive to the American Indian community. The college's appeal regarding using the institution's athletic logo to the NCAA Executive Committee was rejected. The "Tribe" nickname was found to be neither hostile nor abusive but rather communicates ennobling sentiments of commitment, shared idealism, community, and common cause.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wm.edu/news/?id=5338 |title='Tribe' refers to community Nichol states in a report sent to the NCAA {{pipe}} University Relations |publisher=Wm.edu |access-date=September 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218091251/http://www.wm.edu/news/?id=5338 |archive-date=February 18, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> The college stated it would phase out the use of the two feathers by the fall of 2007. However, they can still be seen prominently painted on streets throughout the campus.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wm.edu/news/index.php?id=6870 |title=William and Mary to change athletic logo before Fall 2007 {{pipe}} University Relations |publisher=Wm.edu |access-date=September 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218081923/http://www.wm.edu/news/index.php?id=6870 |archive-date=February 18, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2018, athletic director Samantha Huge introduced a new brand kit for the department, officially retiring and de-emphasizing the script "Tribe" logo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tribeathletics.com/news/2018/7/20/general-william-mary-athletics-reveals-revitalized-brand-and-logo.aspx|title=William & Mary Athletics Reveals Revitalized Brand and Logo|website=William & Mary Athletics|date=July 25, 2018 |access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030060717/https://tribeathletics.com/news/2018/7/20/general-william-mary-athletics-reveals-revitalized-brand-and-logo.aspx|archive-date=October 30, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

The "Tribe 2025" plan, a comprehensive plan for the athletics department to raise national prominence, undergo significant facilities upgrades, and achieve higher levels of student involvement and spirit, was presented in 2019.<ref>William & Mary Athletics sets ambitious goals in strategic plan 'Tribe 2025' https://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2019/william-mary-athletics-sets-ambitious-goals-in-strategic-plan-tribe-2025.php {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101025444/https://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2019/william-mary-athletics-sets-ambitious-goals-in-strategic-plan-tribe-2025.php |date=January 1, 2020 }}</ref> In 2020, William & Mary announced that due to financial concerns, they would be discontinuing seven varsity sports: men's and women's gymnastics, men's and women's swimming, men's indoor and outdoor track and field and volleyball.<ref>{{cite web|title=Amid financial concerns, W&M to discontinue seven sports following the 2020-2021 academic year|url=https://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2020/amid-financial-concerns,-wm-to-discontinue-seven-sports-following-the-2020-21-academic-year.php|last=Johnson|first=Dave|date=September 3, 2020}}</ref> This decision prompted a petition entitled "save the Tribe 7" which received significant support. On October 19, the university reinstated women's gymnastics, women's swimming, and volleyball after notice of an impending lawsuit on the grounds of Title IX violations.<ref name=Life>{{cite web|title=New life for the "Tribe 7"|url=http://thecaptainslog.org/2020/11/16/new-life-for-the-tribe-7/|date=November 16, 2020|access-date=March 9, 2022}}</ref> President Rowe later announced that the decision to cancel the four men's programs would be put off until the 2021-2022 academic year.<ref name=Life/>

Beginning in the 2026 season, the Tribe football team will compete as an associate member of the [[Patriot League.]] The College’s other varsity programs will continue to participate in the [[Coastal Athletic Association.]]