Eastern has been a member of NCAA Division I since the summer of 1983, moving up from Division II. For most of its history, Eastern was a member of the NAIA before upgrading its programs and joining the NCAA in the late 1970s. EWU has been a member of the Big Skyathletic conference since 1987; the school's mascot is Swoop and the school colors are red and white. In 2010, EWU won the NCAA Division I FCSnational championship, EWU's first at the Division I level for any sport. In 1973, the student body voted to make Eastern's mascot the Eagles. Shortly before that, the board of trustees declared "Savages", its mascot through its first 92 years, no longer acceptable. Eagles are native to eastern Washington and thus a logical choice for a replacement.
Eastern formerly had varsity programs in baseball, wrestling, and gymnastics. Baseball joined the Northern Pacific Conference in 1980 as its eighth team, but after the next season, half of those programs had disbanded, and Oregon dropped the sport as well. The NorPac merged into the northern division of the Pac-10 for the 1982 baseball season, bringing the total up to seven schools. Baseball and wrestling were discontinued, following the 1990 seasons. The EWU wrestling team won NAIA tournament in 1977 scoring 95.5 points.Lanny Davidson is one of only 18 wrestlers in the history of the tournament to win 3 national NAIA wrestling chamionships.
The EWU football team plays at Roos Field, opened in 1967; expanded and renovated in 2004 and 2010 to increase capacity to 11,702. The stadium was originally named 'Woodward Field' in honor of former Eagles head football and basketball coach Arthur C. Woodward. It replaced the original Woodward Field, which was located near the present JFK Library. The introduction of red artificial turf and name change to Roos Field occurred in 2010.
The EWU–UM Governors Cup is the annual college football game between the Montana Grizzlies and the Eastern Eagles. Traditionally, it is in the middle of the regular season, played on the Saturday alternating between Roos Field and Washington–Grizzly Stadium each year. The Eagles currently trail in the series with 11 wins and 25 losses.
Mascot
In 1973, the student body voted to make Eastern's mascot the Eagles. Shortly before that, the Eastern Board of Trustees declared "Savages", its mascot through its first 92 years, no longer acceptable. Eagles are native to eastern Washington and thus a logical choice for a replacement.
