“Hoos” usually refers to fans, students, and sports teams connected to the University of Virginia, but it can mean a couple of different things depending on context.

Main meaning: Virginia “Hoos”

  • At the University of Virginia (UVA), “Wahoos” is a nickname for the school’s athletic teams and community, and it’s commonly shortened to “‘Hoos.”
  • It’s used for UVA students, alumni, and fans, especially around sports: people say things like “Go Hoos!” or “Hoos win!” after big games.
  • The official athletic name is still the Virginia Cavaliers, but “Wahoos/‘Hoos” is the more informal, in‑crowd nickname that shows school spirit.

Quick example in the news

  • UVA athletics and their fanbase are frequently referred to as “the Hoos” in current coverage, especially during NCAA tournament time or football season.

Where the nickname comes from

  • The term “Wahoos” has been used around UVA since at least the early 20th century and evolved into the shorter “‘Hoos” over time.
  • One widely repeated story is that rival fans once called Virginia supporters “a bunch of rowdy Wahoos,” and UVA folks eventually embraced and owned the label.

Other possible uses of “Hoos”

If you saw “Hoos” in a different setting, it might refer to:

  • Indiana Hoosiers, the teams from Indiana University (they’re “Hoosiers,” not usually “Hoos,” but the word can look similar).
  • Informal forum shorthand for UVA topics, like recruiting or coaching discussions on “Hoos Next” or similar boards.

If you share where you saw “the Hoos” (a clip, a forum, or a game), I can narrow down exactly which “Hoos” that reference is about. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.