Stonehill Skyhawks

In late 2002, The Strategic Planning Committee determined that the previous Stonehill College mascot, the chieftain, was disrespectful to Native Americans and decided that it would be changed. The committee ruled that a new mascot be named as the institution's athletic identity. Therefore, in the following year the college held open forums in which students, alumni, and faculty were asked to submit ideas for the new identity, vote on suggestions, and gauge popularity. Among popular choices were: "Summit"; "Skyhawks"; "Saints"; "Wolfpack"; "Crusaders"; "Mission"; "Shovelmakers"; and "Blizzard".

During the fall semester of the 2005 academic year Stonehill College officially changed the name of its athletic teams to the "Stonehill Skyhawks", with a brand new mascot known as 'Ace', an anthropomorphic purple hawk wearing a scarf, goggles, bomber jacket, and an aviator cap. The actual name 'Skyhawks' is not a reference to either a bird or animal. After the school's property was bought by the Congregation of Holy Cross, the airfield was leased to the Navy during World War II and private companies before and after the war until it was closed in 1955 due to increasing student enrollment. The Navy used the field for training exercises and would employ the Skyhawk aircraft between 1954–1995.

On Saturday, September 8, 2012, the Skyhawks defeated Southern Connecticut State University for the first time in 15 years, by a score of 13–0. In addition to breaking the losing streak, Stonehill also became the first team to shut out the Owls in 12 years.[10]

On Thursday, October 18, 2012, Stonehill hosted the University of New Haven Chargers in Stonehill's first ever nationally televised football game, broadcast as part of CBS Sports Network's Thursday night Division II game of the week. The game drew an overcapacity crowd that saw heavily favored New Haven win 45–41 on a last-second touchdown pass.[11][12][13]