NCAA upholds ruling against William & Mary logo

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- The NCAA has denied William & Mary's appeal of a ruling that prohibits it from using its logo showing two Indian feathers at NCAA championship events or from hosting NCAA Tournament games where the logo would be displayed.

The news came Thursday in a letter from the NCAA Executive Committee, affirming a May decision that the green and gold logo is hostile or offensive to American Indians.

In that same ruling, the NCAA said William & Mary's nickname, the Tribe, was not necessarily abusive, hostile or offensive, and therefore still could be used.

The decision was again rebuked by William & Mary officials, who sent a tersely worded letter to NCAA president Myles Brand seeking the appeal in June.

"We strongly disagree with the decision by the Executive Committee and find it absurd that the NCAA continues to target William and Mary -- a College that sets the standard for the scholar athlete -- because of two feathers on our athletic logo," athletic director Terry Driscoll said in a statement distributed by the school.

He said the fate of the two-feathers logo will be considered "over the next few weeks as we evaluate what's in the best interest of our student-athletes."

The ruling against William & Mary is part of an ongoing process in which the NCAA is reviewing the American Indian-themed mascots, nicknames and logos used by more than 30 schools to see if they could be considered "hostile and abusive."