Marian University is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

university in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

. Founded in 1851 by the Sisters of St. Francis in

Oldenburg, Indiana Oldenburg is a town in Ray Township, Franklin County, Indiana, United States. The population was 674 at the 2010 census. Geography Oldenburg is located at (39.339474, -85.204640). According to the 2010 census, Oldenburg has a total area of , a ...

, the college moved to Indianapolis in 1937. Marian was referred to as Marian College from 1936 until 2009, when it was renamed Marian University. In 2013, the university opened the first medical school in over 100 years in Indiana, which was the first

osteopathic Osteopathy () is a type of alternative medicine that emphasizes physical manipulation of the body's muscle tissue and bones. Practitioners of osteopathy are referred to as osteopaths. Osteopathic manipulation is the core set of techniques i ...

medical school in the state and the second operational medical school in Indiana at the time. As of 2017, enrollment included 2,431 undergraduate students, 1,164 graduate students, and 650 doctoral students. Marian University athletes have won 45 USA Cycling National Championships and 8 NAIA National Championships: Football in 2012 and 2015; Women's Basketball in 2016 and 2017; Men's Track and Field 60-meter hurdles in 2016 and 2017, and 110-meter hurdles and 800 meter in 2017. Their mascot is Knightro the Knight.

History

Marian University was founded in 1851 by the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, Indiana, as a liberal arts school with a program for training teachers. Under the direction of Father Francis Joseph Rudolph and Mother Theresa Hackelmeier, teachers were trained at Oldenburg for more than a decade before

adopted its first tax-supported

normal school A normal school or normal college is an institution created to Teacher education, train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high s ...

. Originally known as St. Francis Normal, the school became a four-year, state-approved institution which merged with 'Immaculate Conception Junior College to form Marian College. In November 1936, the Sisters of St. Francis purchased the former James A. Allison estate, "Riverdale", located in Indianapolis, as a site for Marian College. In 1937, the institution moved to

under the direction of Mother M. Clarissa Dillhoff, after securing a state charter and purchasing the Riverdale estate in 1936. Allison Mansion became the new location of Marian College. The building housed the library, administrative offices, classrooms, and sleeping quarters for the Sisters. Classes began on September 15, 1937. In 1948 the institution began an expansion project that included the addition of Clare Hall, the Gymnasium, and Marian Hall. In 1954, as the new Marian Hall was completed, the institution became the first co-educational Catholic college in Indiana. Two years later, the North Central Association accredited Marian College. The university's

Modernist Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...

-style library was designed by noted Indianapolis architect

Evans Woollen III Evans Woollen III (August 10, 1927 – May 17, 2016) was an American architect who is credited for introducing the Modern and the Brutalist architecture styles to his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana. Woollen, a fellow of the American Institute ...

, the principal and founder of

Woollen, Molzan and Partners Woollen, Molzan and Partners (WMP) is a U.S.-based second-generation architecture, interior design, and planning firm that Evans Woollen III founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1955. The firm was previously known as Evans Woollen and Associates a ...

, and completed in 1966. The library's square form has an exposed structural frame and open staircase with stacks arranged around reading areas. The

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) was a professional accreditor focused on accrediting teacher education programs in U.S. colleges and universities. It was founded in 1954 and was recognized as an accreditor by ...

formally accepted all teacher education programs of the college in 1976. The Indiana State Board of Nursing approved the associate level nursing curriculum in 1977 and the baccalaureate program in 1987. The National League of Nursing has accredited both programs—the associate in 1986 and the baccalaureate in 1992. In 2000, Marian's Adult Programs (MAP) began offering bachelor's and associate degrees in business. On July 1, 2009, Marian College became Marian University. Over the course of several years prior to this, the college grew and expanded the academic curriculum, added a football team and marching band, adding and renovating buildings. On January 15, 2010, Marian University announced plans to begin a college of osteopathic medicine; the second in the state of Indiana and the first Catholic osteopathic medical school due to the generosity of an anonymous donor's $30 million pledge. On August 23, 2011, during the groundbreaking ceremony, the new school of osteopathic medicine building was officially named after the erstwhile anonymous donor, AIT Labs CEO Michael A. Evans. Additionally, Margaret Mary Community Hospital pledged $150,000 to the College of Osteopathic Medicine dedicated to building a simulation lab and seminar room for the medical students. In July 2021,

Ancilla College Ancilla College was a private Roman Catholic junior college near Donaldson, Indiana. It was founded by the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ in 1937 as an extension of DePaul University for the training of Catholic novices and candidates of the Poo ...

and Marian officially merged and opened as the Marian University's Ancilla College in

Donaldson, Indiana Donaldson is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in West Township, Marshall County, Indiana, United States. History Donaldson (also historically spelled "Donelson") was laid out in 1871. A post office has been in operat ...

Campus

Marian University is located about four miles northwest of

downtown Indianapolis Downtown Indianapolis is a neighborhood area and the central business district of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Downtown is bordered by Interstate 65, Interstate 70, and the White River, and is situated near the geographic center of Ma ...

, on a 200-acre campus. The Marian University campus includes: * The Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab, a 55-acre

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

and lowland forest located on the north end of the Marian University campus. * The Riverdale Estate, which includes Allison Mansion and Indiana's largest and most intact landscape designed by Jens Jensen. The mansion holds the offices of the president. * The Lake Sullivan Sports Complex, now known as the Indy Cycloplex, which Marian operates for the City of Indianapolis Parks and Recreation Department. This park is home to the

Major Taylor Velodrome The Major Taylor Velodrome is an outdoor, concrete velodrome in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S., named for 1899 cycling world champion Major Taylor. The track with 28 degree banked turns and 9 degree straights. The Velodrome is located immediately n ...

and Indy Cycloplex BMX track, as well as singletrack MTB trails and a

dual slalom Dual slalom is a mountain bike racing discipline similar to 4X racing. It consists of two racers racing two almost identical tracks next to each other down a slope. The courses are usually short; one run lasting about 30 seconds. It is filled w ...

course, and hosts races, clinics, and other events in all cycling disciplines, as well as community events.

Academics

As of 2017, Marian University served 2,431 undergraduate students, 1,164 graduate students, and 650 medical students with a student-faculty ratio of 14:1. Marian University is accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Marian University is organized into five schools with 40 majors, 46 minors, and 26 concentrations: * Clark H. Byrum School of Business * College of Osteopathic Medicine * College of Arts and Sciences * The Educators College * Alan and Sue Leighton School of Nursing Marian University offers several routes to earning a teaching license via Indianapolis Teaching Fellows, traditional education program, Master's Bridge to Teaching, the Master of Arts in Teaching program, and the ACTION program. Marian University is one of the few universities to offer the Leadership Academy for Principals. Marian University Leighton School of Nursing offers several degree programs including an online Accelerated BSN program that can be completed in as few as 16 months. Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine opened in August 2013 with the first-class graduated 133 doctors of osteopathic medicine. The university also offers accelerated degree programs in business for adults through Marian's Adult Programs (MAP)

On the Ancilla College campus, there are currently 7 degree programs offered. These include a Bachelor's in Nursing as well as Associate's in Agriculture, Business, Education, Exercise Science, Liberal Arts, and Veterinary Nursing.

Student life

The

Student Government A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, ...

Association of Marian University (SGA) is actively involved with campus events such as

homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...

and the fall festival.

Intramural sports Intramural sports are recreational sports organized within a particular institution, usually an educational institution, or a set geographic region. The term, which is chiefly North American, derives from the Latin words ''intra muros'' meaning " ...

are popular, especially

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

flag football Flag football is a variant of American football where, instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier ("deflagging") to end a Down (gridiron football), down. The sport has a ...

, and

ultimate frisbee Ultimate, originally known as ultimate Frisbee, is a non-contact team sport played with a frisbee flung by hand. Ultimate was developed in 1968 by AJ Gator in Maplewood, New Jersey. Although ultimate resembles many traditional sports in its ath ...

. Construction of a new dining commons, fitness facility, and the Paul J. Norman Center, the new home of the Byrum School of Business, will be completed in 2018. Students perform plays and other theatrical performances, including a

marching band A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who perform while marching, often for entertainment or competition. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Most marching bands wear a uniform, ofte ...

and speech team. In 2010, the speech team won the state championship and placed tenth in Division I at the national forensics championship. Each year, the speech team travels to nearly 12 tournaments, plus a week-long trip to the National Forensic Association's Individual Events Tournament in April. At tournaments, students compete in a variety of events such as impromptu speaking, persuasive speaking, and dramatic interpretation. On February 20, 2010, the speech team claimed first place over-all at the state tournament. A member of the speech team that year went on to become Miss. Indiana in 2014. There are nearly 30 student run clubs and organizations at Marian University, including The Literary Arts Society (LASMU), College Mentors for Kids,

Pax Christi Pax Christi International is an international Catholic peace movement. The Pax Christi International website declares its mission is "to transform a world shaken by violence, terrorism, deepening inequalities, and global insecurity." History ...

(peace and justice),

Society of Human Resource Management The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is a professional human resources membership association headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. SHRM promotes the role of HR as a profession and provides education, certification, and networking to ...

(business), Marian University Student Nurses’ Association (MUSNA) (nursing),

Kappa Delta Pi Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, () is an honor society for education. It was founded in 1911 and was one of the first discipline-specific honor societies. Its membership is limited to the top 20 percent of those entering ...

, Japan and Anime Culture Club (JACC)(culture), Marian Urban Sports (MUSC), the Green Life club (general), and

Alpha Delta Gamma Alpha (uppercase , lowercase ; grc, ἄλφα, ''álpha'', or ell, άλφα, álfa) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of one. Alpha is derived from the Phoenician letter aleph , which ...

, the university's first

fraternity A fraternity (from Latin language, Latin ''wiktionary:frater, frater'': "brother (Christian), brother"; whence, "wiktionary:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal ...

. Adjacent to campus, though not located on campus property, is Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary, a college seminary for Catholic seminarians, operated by the

Archdiocese of Indianapolis The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis ( la, Archidioecesis Indianapolitana) is a division of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. When it was originally erected as the Diocese of Vincennes on May 6, 1834, it encompassed all of ...

. Approximately 20-30 young men, who are also Marian students, live at the seminary and receive formation there.

Athletics

The Marian athletic teams are called the Knights. The university is a member of the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stu ...

(NAIA), primarily competing in the

Crossroads League The Crossroads League (formerly the Mid-Central College Conference) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Its members are private Christian colleges in Indiana, Michigan, an ...

(formerly known as the Mid-Central College Conference (MCCC) until after the 2011–12 school year) for most of its sports since the 1987–88 academic year; while its football team competes in the Mideast League of the

Mid-States Football Association The Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Member institutions are located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Missouri. The MSFA was organized in 1993, and on-field competition b ...

(MSFA). Marian competes in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, rugby, soccer, tennis, track & field and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball; and co-ed sports include cycling, cheerleading and dance. The university's mascot is Knightro, the Knight.

Cycling

Marian University is nationally known for its cycling team, which practices and competes at the Indy Cycloplex, home of the

. The cycling team is a Division I varsity team underneath the collegiate cycling umbrella of USA Cycling. Marian University's cycling team has won 19 national track championships in Division I and is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious programs in the nation. In the 2009–10 seasons, Marian University won both USA Cycling's Collegiate Track National Championships in 2009 and USA Cycling's Collegiate Road Championship title in 2010. The cycling team has won a total of 47 national championship titles in the track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, BMX, and road disciplines.

National Championship appearances

Men's basketball

The men's basketball program is the oldest intercollegiate athletic team at Marian. Established for the 1954–1955 season by athletic director and Head Coach Walt Fields, the team has an overall record of 868-740 (.539). A

member since 1988–1989, the Knights have a 225-209 (.518) conference record, winning three titles (1988–89, 2000–01, 2003–04) and two Crossroads League Tournament titles (1997–98, 2000–01). The Knights have seven NAIA Tournament appearances and have a post-season record of 10-7 (.588). They reached the Final Four in 2018-19 and have two additional Elite Eight berths (2000–01, 2017–18) and three additional Sweet Sixteen appearances (2003–04, 2011–12 and 2019–20). John Grimes led the program for 36 seasons, compiling a record of 566-408 (.581), three

titles and three NAIA Tournament appearances (1997–1998, 2000–2001 and 2003–2004). Grimes also served as the athletic director for the first 26 seasons of his coaching tenure.

Todd Lickliter Todd Arlan Lickliter (born April 17, 1955) is the former head coach of the Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). He was previously the head coach of Marian University, the University of Iowa, and Bu ...

led the program for three seasons (2012–2013 to 2014–2015).

Football

Marian began a football program in 2007 under head coach

Ted Karras Jr. Theodore George Karras Jr. (born December 10, 1964) is an American college football coach and former player. He is the head football coach for Marian University in Indianapolis, a position he first held from the program's inception in 2007 th ...

Since then, the Knights have won two NAIA national championships. In 2012, in only their sixth year of play, the Knights won their first NAIA football championship. In 2014, the #7 Marian Knights became the NAIA runner-up after losing to #8

Southern Oregon University Southern Oregon University (SOU) is a public university in Ashland, Oregon. It was founded in 1872 as the Ashland Academy, has been in its current location since 1926, and was known by nine other names before assuming its current name in 1997.Kre ...

55–31. The next year, the Knights won the NAIA championship, a rematch of the 2014 national championship against the SOU Raiders, 31–14. This marked their third championship game appearance and second victory in four years. The head coach for that victory was

Mark Henninger Mark Henninger is an American college athletics administrator and former football coach. He is the assistant athletic director at Marian University in Indianapolis, a position he has held since December 2022. Henninger served as the head football ...

. Several football program alumni have earned contracts at the professional level, such as Krishawn Hogan and Julian Williams. In 2019, Marian running back Charles Salary was named the NAIA Football National Player of the Year, the first time a player from Marian was recognized with the honor.

Season-by-season record

Other athletic achievements

Other Knights' athletic achievements include: * 23 All-Conference selections * 309 All MCC First Team Honors * 162 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes * 25 NAIA All Americans * 5 NAIA Champions of Character Award recipients * 1 NAIA Football National Player of the Year * 6 NAIA Region VIII Player of the Year * 1 NAIA Region VIII Player of the Year * 37 MCC championships * 25 MCC Coach of the Year Honors * 14 MCC Players of the Year * 38 USA Cycling Collegiate National Championships

References

External links

*
Official athletics website
{{authority control Franciscan universities and colleges Liberal arts colleges in Indiana Catholic universities and colleges in Indiana Universities and colleges in Indianapolis Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities 1851 establishments in Indiana 1936 establishments in Indiana Educational institutions established in 1851 Educational institutions established in 1936 Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis