Before Lycoming College’s football team won an epic Homecoming game with a field goal in overtime, the crowd cheered for a different reason: The college’s new mascot was revealed. The creature is a wolf in hero’s clothing – complete with sword and cape – fittingly named “Lycos the Warrior.” Lycos means “wolf” in Greek. The name also is a nod to the Native American heritage of the area and the college, as early French settlers referred to local Native Americans as “Loupes,” the French word for wolves.
Phil Sprunger, Ph.D., provost and dean of the college, who was on the mascot committee, said that the mascot evolved naturally from the new logo. “Earlier this year, we adopted a new sword and shield logo for our sports teams, and that was successfully embraced by our teams and fans,” he said. “The new mascot moves from the tools of a warrior that are found in our logo and creates a warrior figure that can interact with fans at our games.”
Energizing fans is really what mascots are all about and Dan Miller, Ed.D., vice president of student life, who also was on the mascot committee, said that Lycos personifies the spirit of Lycoming athletics followers.
“The mascot symbolizes the pride we all have in our student-athletes as they represent the college,” Miller said. “Moreover, it can serve as an ambassador of Lycoming athletics in the community and at special events on and off the campus.”
The distinct elements of Lycoming’s new sports identity, the sword, the shield and the wolf, are befitting for Lycoming’s diverse campus community, according to senior creative writing major Chelsea Watts. “All the images tie in together in a really creative way,” she said. “I feel that having multiple parts to the Warriors athletic identity very accurately represents Lycoming as a whole because there are so many different facets to this community.”
And when it comes to what matters most, the opinion of the campus community, Sprunger and Miller said that Lycos has been a success. “I heard a lot of positive reactions to Lycos when it was debuted at the Homecoming football game,” Sprunger said. Miller added, “For many, they are excited to see how the mascot becomes part of the Lycoming athletics identity and motivates the Lycoming faithful to cheer on the Warriors.”
Lycoming College is a four-year, residential liberal arts and sciences school dedicated to the undergraduate education of 1,400 students. Its rigorous academic program, vibrant residential community and supportive faculty foster successful student outcomes. Lycoming offers 36 academic majors and is recognized as a Tier 1 institution by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1812 and located near the banks of the Susquehanna River in Williamsport, Pa., Lycoming is one of the 50 oldest colleges in the nation. For more information, visit www.lycoming.edu.