Fighting Illini Wordmark Logo

The Illinois Fighting Illini wordmark logo has a long and storied history. It is one of the most recognizable logos in college sports, having been around for over 100 years. The current version of the logo was designed by University of Illinois alumnus Dan Simon in 1983, but it can trace its roots back to much earlier times.

The original designs for what would become the iconic Fighting Illini wordmark date back to 1912 when an athletics club at the University created a shield-shaped crest with “Illinois” written on top and “Fighting Illini” below it. This basic design remained largely unchanged until 1981 when then-athletic director Neale Stoner commissioned graphic designer Dan Simon to update it with more modern lettering that better reflected university branding goals at that time.

Simon's work resulted in what we now recognize as today's official Fighting Illini wordmark logo – featuring white block letters outlined in orange inside an oval shape – which first appeared publicly during football games beginning with the 1983 season opener against Washington State University and is still used today across all athletic teams representing UIUC (the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign). While subtle changes have been made since then, such as altering or adding elements like stars or stripes, this classic design remains one of college sports' most enduring symbols due to both its longevity and strong association among fans worldwide who proudly display their school spirit every day!