Today’s most iconic college mascots

Athletics is an important part of school and college life. They are the heart of the school and bring the community together through exciting inter-school sporting events.

It’s also during these events that you may have spotted a furry (or ferocious) friend or two; they are school or college mascots, often an animal or figure.

Animal motifs such as tigers, bears, eagles and dogs are quite common. Some schools or colleges choose other critters, such as squirrels, lizards and bees, or even vegetables such as corn or okra. No, we’re not kidding.

So what exactly is a college mascot, and what purpose do they serve, other than being a character on the field?

What is a college mascot?

Perhaps an iconic mascot that many know is the wildcat from Disney’s “High School Musical.”

Fun fact: the real East High School mascot is actually a leopard.

A mascot contributes to the sense of identity of students and alumni. It becomes a recognizable symbol for the school or university, both on campus and in the surrounding communities. It is also great for entertainment and promotes school spirit.

But how did they come into existence in the first place?

The history behind a school/college mascot

The concept of a school mascot originated in the 19th century. A little boy named Chic, who carried bats and ran errands for baseball players, became known as the team’s good luck charm.

According to a 1883 edition of The Sporting Life Magazine, was quoted as saying that “the players placed their trust in Chic’s auspicious skills.” Combined with a bit of superstition, it became the basis for the concept of mascots in modern school life.

In the late 19th to early 20th centuries, school and college mascots were live children and animals. In fact, the university’s first live animal mascot was Yale’s Handsome Daana bulldog who attended football and baseball games in the late 1890s.

It wasn’t until later that the idea of ​​costumed mascots began to find its way into the hearts and minds of the American sports fan, thanks to the popularity of Jim Henson’s Muppets.

Today, school and college mascots not only play a crucial role in their institution’s athletic competitions, but also reflect the identity of the local communities in which the teams are located. Plus, they’re great for marketing and creating revenue opportunities through licensing, merchandising, and social media. .

Check out some of the iconic college mascots:

College mascots you may have heard of

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Tim de Bever

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) first adopted the beaver as a mascot in 1914. The Technology Club of New York gathered for their annual dinner with President Maclaurin as the evening’s chief guest. At that moment, a pair of beautifully stuffed beavers were presented, with the proposal to adopt the animal as MIT’s mascot.

The reason? They liked the unique industry of the beaver and its modest and unobtrusive greed. The university loved the animal’s excellent engineering and technical qualities – and the fact that the beaver is a true native of North America.

The university takes its mascot very seriously and even creates one brand guide for those interested in using his likeness.

Rutgers University – Scarlet Knights

Rutgers University is known as the “Birthplace of college football,” hosted the first ever intercollegiate football game on November 6, 1869. The college athletes call themselves the Scarlet Knights and affectionately call their Knight mascot Sir Henry.

Sir Henry can be seen at all sporting events held at Rutgers. In his spare time he can also be seen at events outside the university.

He is well known throughout the state and country, performing hundreds of times a year.

University of Chicago – Phoenix

While Maroons is the official nickname of the University of Chicago‘S sports teams, the Phoenix – which is part of the university’s shield – serves as the school’s mascot.

The choice to use the mythical creature as a mascot is inspired by the Great fire in Chicago of 1871 and the subsequent “rebirth” of the city from the ashes – literally.

Now the phoenix mascot is affectionately called Phil, and he can usually be found pumping up the crowds at football games, basketball games and other special events. True to the Maroons name, his costume is deep red.

Princeton University – The Tiger

Princeton University‘S The original mascot was a lion, inspired by lion statues that had been a gift from Woodrow Wilson. In 1911, the mascot was officially switched to a tiger.

The increasing use of the tiger – rather than the lion – as Princeton’s mascot came down to two things: the university’s cheer, which included a “tiger” as a collective noun, and the increasing use of orange and black as university colors.

“While the tiger stands defender / Of Orange and Black.”

The official Tiger mascot costume first appeared in the 1940s during college basketball and football games.

University of Pennsylvania – The Quaker

The University of Pennsylvania‘S mascot, Quaker, is a nod to the religion adopted by William Penn, who established Pennsylvania as a Quaker province.

The mascot has undergone a number of clothing changes over the years, but the biggest change occurred during the football game celebrating 125 years of Franklin Field. The Quaker was reintroduced with a fresh facelift, a stylish new hat and, above all, a collection of trendy new clothing.

Playing the Quaker is apparently a coveted role with strict requirements. Candidates must be between six feet and six feet tall and must keep their identities secret until graduation.

College mascots that are real animals

Furry costumes with feathers are not just the only mascots that schools and universities use. Some college mascots are actually real animals!

Yale University – Handsome Dan

Known as the first institution to adopt a live animal mascot, Yale University is proud of Handsome Dan, their bulldog.

It first debuted in the early 1890s, when Andrew B. Graves, a member of the crew and football teams, adopted it from a local blacksmith and began taking it to sporting events.

After the first handsome Dan died, he was put in a glass closet in the Payne Whitney Gymnasium and locked up. After the death of the original Handsome Dan, the school was without a live mascot for three decades until the class of 1937 raised money to adopt a replacement in 1933.

Since 2023, there have been 19 Handsome Dans, with the most recent arriving on campus in 2021. He now shares duties with a costumed bulldog mascot and spends his free time posting on his Instagram or hanging out with his best friend Heidithe Yale Facility dog.

The University of Georgia – Uga

Uga the bulldog is the official live mascot of the University of Georgia Bulldogs. The mascot is perhaps the most famous mascot in the country and consists exclusively of pure white English bulldogs from the United States Frank W. “Sonny” Seiler family of Savannah.

The name “Uga” is an abbreviation for the university, bestowed by William Young of Columbus, a classmate of Seiler’s at the law school. Each generation of Uga is followed after retirement or death by an identical white bulldog. Ugas I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII are buried in marble vaults in the university stadium near the main entrance in the embankment of the South State.

The memorial plot attracts hundreds of fans and visitors every year. It has become a tradition for players and fans to place flowers on graves before every home game in the hope that this will bless them with good luck.

The current Uga is a young English bulldog named Boom, who succeeded Uga X, Que.

The University of Essex – Pebbles the cat

Pebbles was wandering around the grounds of the University of Essex for more than 13 years, and the older boy enjoys going to lectures, sleeping in the university library or lounging around the nearest available radiator. He even has his own registration card – he ‘studied’ at the Ministry of Government.

Although he is the unofficial college mascot, many call him that anyway. He can be seen on campus, regularly surrounded by excited students.

Thanks to Pebbles’ presence, the school established its own school social media pages and began selling Pebbles merchandise at the Everything Essex store on campus. You can find mugs, keychains, magnets, and even stress pins with Pebbles on them.

The money raised through merchandise sales goes towards his food, vet visits and, most recently, a cat statue on campus to commemorate the cat.

University of South Carolina – The General (Sir Big Spur)

University of South Carolina athletes are known as Gamecocks, thanks to their mascot – a rooster.

The rooster has recently been renamed The general, in tribute to Revolutionary War General Thomas Sumter, whose nickname “Fighting Gamecock” created the original name for athletics. But some call him by his old name, Sir Big Spur. He often appears at events and even has his own seat during matches.

For cheerleading rallies, the university brings out Cocky, a favorite at all Gamecock sporting events. The costume adopts the university’s colors and even comes with its own sports jersey.

When Cocky is free, you can find him hard at work in the local community with Cocky’s Reading Express, where he travels around the state with college students reading to elementary school students.

Bevo isn’t here for this mascot meeting. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/KXgaQzGm0W

— Danny Davis (@_dannydavis) January 2, 2019

University of Texas – Bevo

The original University of Texas The mascot was a brown and white dog named Pig Bellmont, before Bevo the longhorn was introduced.

The original Bevo was first released during a game between UT and Texas A&M in 1916. It was flimsy, difficult to handle and not a favorite with the students. Despite his shortcomings, he was affectionately known in literature as ‘Bevo’ UT’s Alcalde alumni magazine of the UT that included the University’s 21-7 victory.

“His name is Bevo,” the piece stated. “Long may he reign.”

While the first Bevo unfortunately ended up as the main course of the barbecue for the January 1920 football banquet, his head and horns were mounted and added to the university’s athletic department.

Rest assured, the Bevos who followed in his hoofprints all enjoyed a comfortable retirement on a private ranch.