Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association

CENTRAL MISSOURI CENTRAL OKLAHOMA EMPORIA STATE
"Mules" "Bronchos" "Hornets"
Warrensburg, MO Edmond, OK Emporia, KS
FORT HAYS STATE LINCOLN MISSOURI SOUTHERN
STATE
"Tigers" "Blue Tigers" "Lions"
Hays, KS Jefferson City, MO Joplin, MO
MISSOURI WESTERN
STATE		 NEBRASKA-KEARNEY NORTHEASTERN STATE
"Griffons" "Lopers" "Riverhawks"
St. Joseph, MO Kearney, NE Tahlequah, OK
NORTHWEST
MISSOURI STATE		 PITTSBURG STATE WASHBURN
"Bearcats" "Gorillas" "Ichabods"
Maryville, MO Pittsburg, KS Topeka, KS

Historical Helmets

CENTRAL MISSOURI

1961 - 1962 1963 1964
1965 1967 1966; 1968
1969 1970 - 1975 1976 - 1977
*see note 1 below
1978 - 1980? 1981? - 1983 1984 - 1998
*see note 2 below *see note 2 below *see note 3 below
1999 - 2000 2001 - 2004 2005 - 2014
*see note 4 below
'A' 'B' 'C' (and 'C1')
2015 - 2015 - 2016 -
*see note 5 below
'D' (and 'D1') 'E' (and 'E1','E2', & 'E3') 'F' (and 'F1' & 'F2')
2016; 2019 - 2017 - 2017 -
*see note 12 below *see note 6 below *see note 7 below
'G' 'H' 'I'
2017 - 2017 - 2018 -
*see note 8 below *see note 9 below *see note 10 below
'J' 'K' 'L'
2019 - 2019 - 2019 -
*see note 11 below *see note 13 below *see note 14 below
'M'
2019 -
*see note 15 below

During recent years UCM has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

This school's name was changed from Central Missouri State University to University of Central Missouri on September 20, 2006.

*1 A slightly different design was used for CMSU's appearance in the December 12, 1970 Pecan Bowl game against Arkansas State in Arlington, Texas - two white stripes were used alongside the middle red stripe.

*2 The first of these two helmet designs was used during at least the 1978 and 1979 seasons, while the second was in use during at least 1981 and 1982. The 1980 helmet design may have been one or the other of these two, but a visitor to this site has suggested that the 1980 design was probably a hybrid of the other two - a decal like that used on the 1981 helmet worn on shells of the color used in 1979.

*3 The stripe sequence may have varied during the years when this design was in use; specifically, there may have been some years during which the white and black stripes bordered directly against each other (rather than having the red "gap" as shown here).

*4 During the 2004 season, the word "MISSOURI" in black letters was added inside the "tail" extending beneath the word "Central".

*5 Uniform numbers are worn on the left side only of both 'C' and 'C1'; logos are worn on the right sides as shown below.

'C' 'C1'

*6 Uniform numerals are worn on the left side only of designs 'E', 'E1', 'E2', and 'E3'; various logos are worn on the right sides of these designs as represented below.

'E' 'E1' 'E2'
'E3'

*7 Uniform numerals are worn on the left side only of designs 'F', 'F1', and 'F2'; on the right sides of these designs are three different logos. Design 'F1' has a logo like that worn on both sides of design 'D' shown above (the 'F1' logo may be silver/mirror-like rather than white); below are representation of the right sides of 'F' and 'F2'.

'F' 'F2'

*8 Uniform numerals are worn on the left side only of this design; on the right side is a "mule head" logo with an American flag coloration (as in helmet design 'B' above).

*9 Uniform numerals are worn on the left side only of this design; on the right side is a "C" logo (as shown below).

*10 Uniform numerals are worn on the left side only of this design; on the right side is a "C" logo (as shown below).

*11 Uniform numerals are worn on the left side only of this design; on the right side is a "C" logo (as shown below).

*12 The "mule" logo is worn on both sides of design 'D' but on the left side only of 'D1'; on the right side of 'D1' are uniform numbers (as represented below).

*13 The arched "MULES" logo is worn on the left side only of this design; uniform numbers are worn on the right side (as represented below).

*14 Uniform numerals are worn on the left side only of this design; on the right side is a "C" logo (as shown below). .

*15 Uniform numbers are worn on the left side only of this design; on the right side is a "C" logo (as shown below). .

CENTRAL OKLAHOMA

1960 - 1969 1970 - 1974 1975 - 1982
1983 - 1986 1987 - 2002 2003 - 2007
November 12, 2011 2011 2008 - 2010; 2012 - 2019
2021 -

EMPORIA STATE

'A'
1995 - 1998 1999 - 2011 2012 -
'B' 'C' 'D'
2014 2015 2015
*see note 1 below *see note 1 below
'E' 'F' 'G' (and 'G1')
2016; 2018 - 2016 2016; 2019
*see note 1 below *see note 1 below *see note 1 below
'H' 'I' 'J'
2017 2017 2017
*see note 1 below *see note 1 below *see note 1 below
'K' 'L' 'M'
2017 2017 2018 -
*see note 1 below *see note 1 below *see note 1 below
'N' (and 'N1') 'O' 'P' (and 'P1')
2018 2018 2018
*see note 1 below *see note 1 below *see note 1 below
'Q' 'R' 'S'
2019 - 2019 - 2019 -
*see note 1 below *see note 1 below *see note 1 below
'T' 'U'
2019 - 2021 -

During recent years Emporia State has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

*1 Each of these designs has a different right side as represented below:

'B' 'C' 'E'
'F' 'G' 'G1'
'H' 'I' 'J'
'K' and 'L' 'M' 'N'
'O' 'P' 'P1'
'Q' 'R' 'S'

FORT HAYS STATE

? - 2000 2003 - 2004 2001 - 2002; 2005 - 2006
2007 - 2010 2011 - 2014 2015 - 2017
2018 2019; 2021 -

LINCOLN

? - 2002 2003 - 2007? 2009 - 2010
2008; 2011 2012 - 2015 2016
*see note 1 below
2018 (last six games) 2017 - 2019 2020* -
*see note 2 below *see note 3 below

*1 In 2011 Lincoln used helmets which were "blank" on the left side but had white uniform numbers on the right side.

*2 This design has uniform numbers on its left side only; on the right side is a "tiger head" logo (as depicted below).

*3 Uniform numbers are worn on the left side only of this design; a logo is present on the right side (as depicted below).

MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE

? - 1998 1999? - 2000? 2001? - 2002
2004 - 2005 2006 2011
*see note 1 below
2012 - 2015 2016 2007 - 2010; 2017 - 2018
2018 (1st 3 games) 2019 -

During the late 1980s Missouri Southern State used a logo consisting of white, block-style letters "M" and "S" inside a green oval shape; this was worn on yellow helmet shells. I have not received much information about other earlier helmet designs for this team.

*1 For the 2011 season the MSSU helmet logo was modified to memorialize the victims of the Joplin tornado of May 22, 2011, which claimed an estimated 162 lives. The intersecting acronyms "JOMO" (for Joplin, Missouri) and "MOSO" (for Missouri Southern) were added to the interior of the logo, as well as "5/22" and "5:41", the date and time of the tornado's arrival at Joplin.

MISSOURI WESTERN STATE

? - 1995 1996 - 1998 1999 - 2012
'A' 'B' 'C'
2015 - 2016 2013 - 2017 2017 - 2018
*see note 1 below
'D' 'E' 'F'
2017 - 2018 2018 2019 -
*see note 2 below
'G' 'H' 'I'
2019 - 2019 - 2019 -
'J' 'K' 'L'
2019 - 2019 - 2019 -

During recent years Missouri Western State has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

*1 Uniform numerals are worn on the left side only of this design; a large "griffon" logo adorns the right side (as represented below).

*2 Uniform numerals are worn on the left side only of this design; a large "griffon" logo adorns the right side (as represented below).

NEBRASKA-KEARNEY

1960 - 1968 1969 - 1971 1972 - ?
1990 1991 - 1999 2000 - 2010?
'A'
2011? - 2013 September 11, 2014 2014 -
'B' 'C'
2019 - 2020 2021 -

During recent years Nebraska-Kearney has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

NORTHEASTERN STATE

c.1960s c.1969 c.mid 1990s(?)
1997? - 2001 2002 2003 - 2006
2007 2008 2009
2010 - 2013 2014 - 2016 2017 - 2018
*see note 1 below *see note 2 below
2019 (1st five games) 2019 2020*
*see note 3 below *see note 3 below
2021 -

*1 From 2014 through 2016 uniform numbers were worn on the left side only of NSU's helmets; on the right side in 2014 was an oversized "riverhawk" logo and in 2016 a "normal"-sized version of the same logo was used (as depicted below). In 2015 the right side was apparently "blank".

2014 2016

*2 Uniform numbers are worn the left side only of this design; a "riverhawk" logo adorns the right side (as shown below).

*3 Both of these designs have a white "riverhawk" logo on their right side (as shown below).

NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE

? - 1962 1963 - 1966 1967 - 1969
1970 - 1971 1974 - 1978 1979 - 1982
1983 - 1985 1986 1987
1988 - 1992 1993 - ? ? - 1995
September 10, 2005 1996 - 2011 September 24, 2011 - 2012
*see note 1 below *see note 2 below
'B' 'C' 'D'
2013 2013 - 2013 - 2015
'E' 'F' 'G'
2014 - 2016 - 2016 -
'H' 'I' 'J'
2016 - 2017 - 2017 -
'A' 'K' 'L'
2013 - 2017 2017 - 2017 -
*see note 3 below
'M' 'N' 'O'
2018 - 2018 - 2018 -
'P' 'Q' 'R'
2019 - 2019 - 2019 -
'S' 'T'
2021 - 2021 -

During recent years Northwest Missouri State has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

In January 2009 I received a large number of photographs of old NWMSU helmets (thanks David), which allowed me to partially document the team's helmet history back to 1961. Unfortunately, few of the photographs are in color, so uncertainties remain about what color the various helmet features were. While the team has apparently used green helmets since 1972, I do not know if the helmets have always been dark green (like the current design) - they presumably could have been a lighter shade during earlier years. The team colors were originally red and white, but I have been informed that the switch to the current colors (green and white) was made many years before 1960. Some helmet designs have also feature gold or yellow elements.

Through the 1960s the helmets apparently always had white shells. There was a single dark stripe on the helmets in 1961 and 1962, but from 1963 through 1966 the dark stripe was apparently flanked on either side by a lighter-colored stripe (probably gold). Also from 1963 through 1966, uniform numerals in some dark color were worn on the helmets. Two oval-shaped helmet logos were used from 1967 through 1971 - one containing an "M", and the other the letters "NW State". Below are photographs of the helmet designs known to have been used from 1961 through 1971.

The team apparently switched to dark-colored (probably green) helmets in 1972 (the 1977 NWMSU yearbook refers to the team as the "green and white"), possibly with one or more light-colored stripes during this first year. The helmets were apparently "plain" (without logos or stripes) from 1973 through 1978.

In 1979 an arched "BEARCATS" logo was adopted, and used through 1982. In 1983 the team switched to a script "Cats" logo, which was used through at least 1993, though possibly not for all games, and with a few different stripe combinations. Below are photos showing the two helmets logos used from 1979 through 1993.

During at least part of the 1995 season, another interesting helmet logo was used (see photo below) - this one featured the letters "NW" atop a "paw print".

*1 This design was used during the home game against Truman State in 2005 as part of an observance of the university's centennial.

*2 A red version of the traditional paw print logo was first worn during the 2011 home game against Fort Hays State; this was done as a tribute to former NWMSU head football coach Scott Boswick, who died on June 5, 2011. As an assistant coach at NWMSU Bostwick had habitually worn a red cap to enable his players to locate him easily on the sideline amongst all the green. This design remained in use through the 2011 season.

*3 The numerals '52' were worn on all NWMSU helmets during the November 4. 2017 game against Fort Hays State in honor of former team member Nicholas Turner, who had died suddenly in January 2016; 52 had been Turner's uniform number. The '52' was worn on the left side only of each helmet; a black version of the 'paw' logo was worn on the right side (as represented below).

PITTSBURG STATE

c.1970s c.late 1970s - 1984? 1997 - 2005
2006 - 2010 September 8, 2012;
October 13, 2012		 1985 - 1996; 2011 - 2013
*see note 1 below
2014 -

This college was known as Kansas State College of Pittsburg prior to April 21, 1977. During the 1961 season, the team was using the helmet design visible in the very small photographs below; it would appear that the helmets were probably silver or gold in color, and had at least two dark stripes.

At another point during the early 1960s, the team wore white numerals on red helmet shells with gray faceguards. I am not aware of PSU having ever used any helmet logo other than the current script "Pitt", but I have received very little information for this team from the 1960s and 1970s.

*1 Worn during the 2012 home game vs Central Oklahoma and during the 2012 game vs Northwest Missouri State played at Kansas City, MO.

WASHBURN

1966 - 1967 1957 - 1965;
1968 - 1970		 1971 - 1974
1975 - 1976 1977 - 1979 1980
1981 1982 - 1989 1990
1991 - 1993 1994 - 1995 1996 - 2001
2002 2003 - 2005 2006
2007 - 2008 2009 - 2012 2013 - 2015
'A' 'B'
2016 2017 - 2018 -
'C'
2018 -
*see note 1 below

During recent years Washburn has used the following sequences of helmet designs:

*1 Uniform numbers are worn on the left side only of this design; on the right side is the same "Ichabod" logo worn on both sides of design 'B'.