North Georgia Nighthawks North Georgia Nighthawks The North Georgia Nighthawks are the athletic teams that represent the University of North Georgia (formed after the merger of North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College in 2013), located in Dahlonega, Georgia, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Nighthawks compete as members of the Peach Belt Conference in 12 of their 13 varsity sports; with rifle competing in the Division I Southern Conference. All 13 intercollegiate programs are hosted on the university's Dahlonega campus. The merged school inherited the athletic legacy of NGCSU, which competed under the nickname "Saints" with a mascot
North Carolina State University in "Brown v. Board of Education" (1954) that segregated public education was unconstitutional, North Carolina State College enrolled its first African-American undergraduates, Ed Carson, Manuel Crockett, Irwin Holmes, and Walter Holmes. In 1962, State College officials desired to change the institution's name to North Carolina State University. Consolidated university administrators approved a change to the University of North Carolina at Raleigh, frustrating many student and alumni who protested the change with letter writing campaigns. In 1963, State College officially became North Carolina State of the University of North Carolina. Students, faculty, and alumni continued to express dissatisfaction with this name,