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UNT offers a long tradition of athletics, growing stronger every year.

The Mean Green are proud members of the American Athletic Conference. UNT’s DATCU Stadium serves as a community rallying point, bringing fans together as they cheer their hometown football team to victory. And whether our student-athletes are on the field or in the classroom earning academic honors, they’re striving for greatness.

Athletic Impact

UNT is part of the American Athletic Conference, bringing the university a higher level of competition and better reflecting our academic quality.
  • 16: UNT offers 16 sports as an NCAA Division I school — the highest and largest division among universities.
  • 142: The Mean Green have won 142 conference championships, including 50 since 2000.
  • SUCCESS: The Mean Green set a new department record in 2024 with a 3.28 GPA.
  • PRIDE: UNT’s DATCU Stadium — a state-of-the-art athletic and entertainment complex with seating for 30,100 fans — is not just the home of the Mean Green, Denton's home team. It's also the setting for local events, building pride and a sense of community. A soccer and track-and-field stadium along with an indoor practice facility opened in 2019 to enhance the game-day experience for fans and student-athletes.
Student posing with UNT mascot Scrappy

Mean Green Pride

Athletic standouts include football legend "Mean" Joe Greene, who played with the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, and Abner Haynes, who played most notably with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Alumni Craig Robertson in the New Orleans Staints locker room

Traditions

  • The Mean Green Machine — a green 1929 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan — helps raise spirit at games and special events.
  • The UNT student body voted in 1922 to name the Eagle as UNT’s mascot — beating out the dragon, hawk and lion. Members of the Mean Green Nation affectionately call our Eagle mascot Scrappy.
  • Boomer the muzzleloader cannon is fired by the UNT Talons at football games to signal scores.
  • After victories by UNT varsity teams, green lights shine on McConnell Tower at the Hurley Administration Building.