March Madness 2023: Where is Furman University and what is a Paladin?

Furman University is playing in March Madness and, as the Paladins aren’t a major program, some fans are wondering where the school is located.

Back in March Madness for the first time since 1980, Furman University was dominant in the Southern Conference this season, going 15-3 in the regular season and then winning the conference tournament to finish with a 27-7 record overall.

Now, the Furman Paladins have a First Round matchup as a 13-seed in March Madness against 4-seeded Virginia. The Cavaliers are obviously the favorite coming out of the ACC but the Paladins are an offensive stallion that can really push for an upset.

As many fans are watching Furman for the first time in March Madness, though, you also might be wondering where the university is. Don’t worry, we’re here to give you the lowdown on the Paladins and where they come from.

Where is Furman University?

Furman University is located in Greenville, SC, which is in the upstate portion toward the west side of the state. It is less than an hour from the North Carolina border.

Founded in 1826, it is the oldest private learning institution in the state of South Carolina. With its rich history and location in the Appalachian Mountains, there are plenty of notable alumni that include Grammy winner Amy Grant, former NBA All-Star Frank Selvy and many more.

The Paladins also have some March Madness history. Furman made it to the Sweet 16 back in 1974 (back before the tournament expanded to 64 teams), but that’s still quite an accomplishment for a smaller program. We’ll see if they can do more of that and make Greenville proud this year.

Furman University: What is a Paladin?

But the location isn’t the only thing in question. Paladins is a unique mascot and nickname, one that many people might not know about.

A Paladin refers to one of the 12 great nights of Charlemagne in the eighth century. So, in essence, it is a medieval knight, but one of distinguished prowess. The name was given to the Furman basketball team in the 1960s while other athletic teams had different nicknames. When trying to reach uniformity, they landed on Paladin as the official mascot for the university’s athletics program.

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