Midland History

A Brief History of Midland University

Founded in 1883, Midland University is the product of college and church mergers. Midland College was established at Atchison, Kansas, by the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church on September 15, 1887. The name Midland College was selected because of its central location in the United States.

In 1919, the college moved to Fremont, Nebraska. The Fremont property had previously been called Fremont Normal School and Business College. In 1962, Midland merged with Luther Junior College (founded in Wahoo, Nebraska, in 1883). Midland College then became Midland Lutheran College, and finally, in 2010, Midland Lutheran College became Midland University.

History of the Midland Warriors

Midland University's history is rooted in multiple institutions, each of which has left its mark on the school and on its mascot.

Midland College was first located in Atchison, Kansas, where it was founded by German and Swedish immigrants.  The first mascot they selected was the “Tigers,” along with the official colors orange and black. The College was relocated to Fremont in 1919, and the mascot was changed to the “Warriors” in recognition of a theme tied more closely to the history of the founders.

Luther College later merged with Midland College in 1962 to create Midland Lutheran College.  The Luther College “Vikings” sported blue as their school color prior to the merge.

For many years, the Warrior mascot was personified through imagery of a Native American Warrior.  This was recognized to be a misfit, however, as Midland's past was actually routed in European ancestry, and just the name "Warriors" was used without any additional icon. 

Feeling the absence of a living, breathing figure that appropriately represented the school on and off the field, various warrior types were used in short spurts ranging from “Melvin the Midland Monster” from the early 1990's to Leonidas, a Spartan Warrior more recently.

In 2010, amid Midland Lutheran College's refounding as Midland University, a new icon was created to reflect Midland's Nordic history, incorporating both the Luther College Viking blue and the Midland Warrior orange and black.  This new Nordic Warrior provides a connection to Midland's heritage while offering a modern symbol of the strength and determination Midland student athletes display as Warriors.

Throughout Midland University’s proud history, many changes have taken place.  Whether you are connected to Midland from the past, the present, or in the years to come, one thing, however, remains the same. The heart of a Warrior is present in all who call Midland their own.

Go Warriors!