Broncos Wordmark Logo

The Western Michigan Broncos have a long and proud history in college athletics, and their wordmark logo is an integral part of that legacy. The current version of the logo was designed by WMU alumnus Tim Rieniets in 2002, but the design has changed over time to reflect the school’s changing identity.

The original Western Michigan Broncos logo featured a large “W” with an orange-brown background surrounded by white stars. This design was used from 1953 until 1982 when it underwent its first major redesign. The new look featured a more modern font style for “Western Michigan University” above two broncos facing each other on either side of the lettering with wings outstretched behind them both. This version remained largely unchanged until 2002 when Rieniets took over as lead designer and introduced several changes to make it more recognizable while still staying true to its roots as one of college sports' oldest logos.

The most notable alteration made during this period was two small lines extending outward from either side of the lettering which created what is commonly referred to as "the Bronco tail." These lines are meant to represent motion forward into a victory which has become synonymous with WMU Athletics ever since they adopted this new look nearly 20 years ago now! Additionally, some minor tweaks have been made here or there such as adjusting colors so that they better match those used throughout campus branding efforts today - all without straying too far away from what makes up our beloved mascot's iconic image: strength through unity!

Today, you can find versions of this same wordmark across various mediums including apparel items like t-shirts & hats; social media profiles; posters & banners at sporting events; plus many other places where fans show their support for Western Michigan Athletics teams year-round! It's no surprise then why these simple yet bold graphics continue to be widely recognized symbols representing not only our university but also all who proudly wear blue & gold every day - Go Broncos!!