[6] It was founded in 1889 as the State Normal School of Colorado and has a long history in teacher education.
[9] UNCO's 19 athletic teams compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Big Sky Conference.
UNCO's Central Campus includes the areas north of 20th Street and west of 8th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado.
[15] UNCO has a tradition as an arts institution and its main college offices, located in Guggenheim Hall, are one of the oldest buildings on campus.
Other football alumni of the school include punter Dirk Johnson, quarterback Kyle Sloter, safety Reed Doughty, and defensive lineman Aaron Smith.
On March 9, 2011, the Bears won the Big Sky Conference tournament championship in men's basketball, clinching a trip to the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, the first in the school's history.