The Findlay Oilers are the athletic teams of the University of Findlay, a private university in Findlay, Ohio. The teams compete in NCAA Division II as members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC).[1] The athletic identity is built around the “Oilers” nickname, which first appeared in 1937, inspired by the city’s oil industry heritage and the crews who operated drilling rigs throughout northwest Ohio in the late 1800s.[1]
Design and History
The Oilers athletic logo features an oil derrick, a direct visual reference to the region’s oil industry roots.[2] The university’s own communications refer to this mark as the “UF derrick logo.”[3] A trademark filing for the University of Findlay describes a character wearing a shirt with the large block letters “UF” and a stylized oil derrick design positioned between the letters.[4]
In February 2016, the University of Findlay introduced a new graphic identity and academic logo for the first time since 1989, when the institution changed its name from Findlay College.[2] The new academic logo features a graphic representation of the cupola of Old Main, the oldest building on campus, with six slats intended to reflect the university’s six colleges.[2] However, the university stated it would keep the “Oilers” name and logo, which features an oil derrick, for use in all athletic venues and sports logo wear.[2] The 2016 rebrand was driven by changes in graphic design concepts and to reflect the university’s “brand promise” of academic excellence, experiential learning and transformative experiences.[2]
Before the athletic teams adopted the “Oilers” name in 1937, they were commonly called “The Orange” or “Kisselmen,” which is likely where the university’s orange and black colors originated.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Oilers nickname and derrick imagery directly reference Findlay’s oil industry heritage. The nickname first appeared in 1937, inspired by the city’s rich oil industry history and the hardworking crews who operated drilling rigs throughout northwest Ohio in the late 1800s.[1] The university’s official mascot, Derrick the Oiler, is named after the oil derricks that once defined the region’s landscape.[1]
Typography and Design
The University of Findlay’s school colors are orange and black. The official orange is PMS 1655 (Co M65 Y87 K0) and FF6600 on the Web, according to the university’s graphic identity and trademark guide.[6] The athletic logo may be rendered in black or orange.[6]
The university’s official mascot, Derrick the Oiler, was created through a campus-wide “Design the Mascot” contest in 2000. The winning design came from student Sarah (King ’02) Mitchell, who envisioned a mascot reflecting the grit, toughness and determination associated with Findlay’s oil field roots.[1] Derrick officially debuted on Oct. 17, 2001, at an Oiler basketball game as the university’s first official mascot.[1]
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