After an overwhelming response from the community during Phase One of the Team Name Contest, the Grand Forks Northwoods League Softball team is excited to announce the launch of Phase Two: Voting. Fans can now cast their vote for the team’s official name at GrandForksSoftball.com. Voting will remain open until September 19, with the winning name to be unveiled later this fall.

Presented by Farmers Union Insurance, the contest has already highlighted the creativity and passion of the Grand Forks community. More than 200 name submissions were received, and the top six finalists have now been selected for public voting. (Originally planned for five finalists, the response was so strong that six names were advanced.)

The community members who submitted the finalist names will also be contacted directly by the team to receive their prize.

• Grand Forks Flying Aces: The Grand Forks Flying Aces honors the community’s proud aviation heritage, from the Air Force base to UND’s world-class aerospace program. A “flying ace” represents an elite, highly skilled pilot—symbolizing precision, excellence, and courage in the skies. This name connects Grand Forks’ deep ties to aviation with a bold, exciting identity that fans can rally behind.
• Grand Forks Spitfires: The Grand Forks Spitfires blends the city’s proud aviation heritage with a fiery team identity. Named after the legendary Spitfire aircraft, it represents speed, agility, and boldness in the skies. On the field, our players will bring that same energy—playing with attitude, grit, and spark. These girls will be true spitfires—fearless, fierce, and unstoppable.
• Grand Forks Spudniks: The Grand Forks Spudniks connect the region’s farming roots with its role in space innovation. Known for potato processing, Grand Forks is also home to the Air Force Base’s Low Earth Orbit satellite work and UND’s leading Space Studies program. Spudniks playfully blends potatoes with satellites—celebrating a community that’s grounded in the soil yet reaching for the stars.
• Grand Forks Sweet Beets: The Grand Forks Sweet Beets is a playful, family-friendly nod to the sugar beet industry that has long been a staple of the Red River Valley. It’s colorful, local, and instantly recognizable, a perfect name for a team that wants to bring smiles to fans of all ages.
• Grand Forks Voodoo: The Grand Forks Voodoo name pays tribute to the F-101B Voodoo fighter jets that flew out of Grand Forks Air Force Base in the 1960s, a bold nod to the city’s aviation and military history. With its edgy sound and powerful identity, Voodoo brings a unique toughness that fans can rally behind on and off the field.
• Grand Forks Wingnuts: The Grand Forks Wingnuts captures the playful, spirited side of aviation and community pride. A wingnut looks like a plane with wings, but more importantly, it represents the energy of being a little wild, fun, and “nuts” about flying. Just like minor league baseball, the name is quirky, memorable, and full of character—perfect for fans who want to rally together and proudly say, “We’re all Wingnuts!”

“Phase One gave us an incredible list of ideas, and now it’s time for fans to choose the name that will represent Grand Forks on and off the field,” said Roberto Lemus, General Manager. “We’re looking for a name fans will be proud to cheer for, wear on merchandise, and rally around, one that’s unique to the city and state, and stands out across the league and the country.” The winning name, along with the official logo, will be unveiled at an event at Albrecht Field in October.