What college has an owl mascot?

Owl mascots are a popular choice for colleges and universities across the United States. Known for their wisdom, intelligence, and watchfulness, owls make for fitting representatives of institutions of higher education. But with so many schools to choose from, which colleges actually have owl mascots?

Quick Answers

Some of the most well-known colleges and universities with owl mascots include:

• Temple University – Hooter the Owl
• Florida Atlantic University – Owlsley
• Kennesaw State University – Scrappy the Owl
• Southern Illinois University Edwardsville – Eddie the Cougar
• Missouri Western State University – Griffon

Colleges and Universities With Owl Mascots

Here is a more comprehensive list of higher education institutions that have official or unofficial owl mascots representing their schools:

NCAA Division I Schools

• Temple University – Hooter the Owl
• Florida Atlantic University – Owlsley
• Kennesaw State University – Scrappy the Owl
• Southern Illinois University Edwardsville – Eddie the Cougar
• Rice University – Sammy the Owl

NCAA Division II Schools

• Missouri Western State University – Griffon
• Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania – Roz the Owl
• Ashland University – Science the Owl
• Southern Connecticut State University – Owl

NCAA Division III Schools

• Rowan University – Howie the Owl
• State University of New York at Potsdam – Noney the Owl
• SUNY Polytechnic Institute – Lil Owl
• University of Maine at Presque Isle – Owlsley

NAIA Schools

• Oregon Institute of Technology – Hustlin’ Owl
• College of Idaho – Ike the Owl
• William Penn University – Penn Owl

Two-Year and Community Colleges

• Nassau Community College – Pat the Owl
• Housatonic Community College – Hootie the Owl
• Middlesex Community College – Talon the Owl

Notable Owl Mascots

Some of the most beloved and well-known owl mascots include:

Hooter the Owl (Temple University)

Hooter the Owl has been the mascot for Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since the 1930s. He is named after the “hoot” sounds that owls make and is one of the oldest existing owl mascots. Hooter appears at Temple sports games and events, wearing a graduation cap and gown representing Temple’s academic achievements.

Owlsley (Florida Atlantic University)

Florida Atlantic University’s mascot is Owlsley the Owl. He first appeared in 1984 and was officially named in a student vote. Owlsley wears a blue cape representing FAU’s school colors and is a fun-loving, friendly mascot popular with fans.

Sammy the Owl (Rice University)

Sammy the Owl has been around since 1917 as Rice University’s mascot in Houston, Texas. He gets his name from the school’s founder Samuel Rice. Sammy appears at Rice sporting events wearing a graduation robe and mortarboard hat symbolizing knowledge and wisdom.

Owl Mascots by Conference

Here is a breakdown of colleges and universities with owl mascots organized by athletic conference associations:

Why Are Owls Popular College Mascots?

There are several reasons why owls are utilized so often as mascots for colleges and universities:

• Owls are associated with wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge – ideals that institutions of higher learning aim to embody and convey to students.
• The owl’s watchful gaze represents awareness and observation, important traits for successful students.
• Owls are unique mascots that stand out from the more common choices like lions, tigers, bears, etc.
• The owl is a non-threatening mascot that portrays colleges as inviting places for learning.
• Owls represent virtues like integrity and determination through their focused hunting abilities.
• The nocturnal nature of owls connects them to studious scholars working into the night.

Origin Stories of Famous Owl Mascots

Many of the most beloved college owl mascots have interesting origin stories behind them:

Temple University

Temple’s Hooter the Owl became the university’s symbol after a campus-wide vote in the 1930s. He likely got his name from the “hoot” sound owls are known for. Hooter gained popularity during the Great Depression and was seen as a fun distraction from hard times.

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State’s mascot Scrappy the Owl is named for the scrappy, fighting spirit of the university’s athletic teams. Scrappy first appeared in the 1980s and was officially adopted after a vote in 1986. He wears a graduation cap decorated with the school’s colors.

Florida Atlantic University

FAU’s Owlsley was created in 1984 after students voted for the Atlantic blue owl as the school’s mascot. Owlsley’s name was chosen through another student vote honoring FAU’s first university president Thomas F. Owlsley.

Rice University

Rice’s mascot Sammy the Owl dates back to 1917 and is named after the school’s founder Samuel Rice. The owl mascot was chosen because of Rice’s intelligent, wise, and watchful qualities befitting an institution of higher learning.

Controversial Owl Mascots

While most owl mascots are well-liked by their schools, a few have generated some controversies over the years:

Pounce the Owl, Kennesaw State University

In 2010, Kennesaw State unveiled a new mascot called Pounce the Owl, an anthropomorphized owl costume aimed at making the mascot more child-friendly. Pounce upset KSU students and alumni who felt the cartoonish mascot didn’t represent the school’s values well. Pounce was discontinued in 2018.

Hooter the Owl, Temple University

Some people have criticized Temple University’s mascot Hooter the Owl because his name is similar to a slang term for breasts. However, the mascot has kept his name to maintain Temple’s tradition since the 1930s.

Owlfred, University of Virgina Wise

The previous mascot of the University of Virginia’s College at Wise was Owlfred the Hill Cat. The costumed owl mascot was discontinued in 2008 after concerns that it frightened children rather than entertaining them.

Owl Mascots in Pop Culture

College owl mascots have made appearances in television shows, movies, and commercials over the years:

• Hooter the Owl appeared in the 2000 film Rocky V during scenes set at Temple University.
• FAU’s mascots Owlsley and Miss Owl appeared on the sitcom Full House in a 1988 episode.
• Rice University’s Sammy the Owl was featured in a 2020 Super Bowl commercial for Michelob ULTRA.
• Hooter the Owl appeared alongside Bill Cosby in a Temple advertisement during Cosby’s tenure at the university.

Owl Mascots and Merchandise

Owl mascots appear on all kinds of apparel, merchandise, and memorabilia associated with their schools. Some popular examples include:

• T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and polo shirts featuring illustrated versions of the owl mascots.
• Costumed owl mascot plush dolls and toys.
• Bobblehead figurines of the mascots.
• Pennants, bumper stickers, buttons, and decals with the owl logos.
• School spirit items like pennants, banners, posters, and flags with owl mascots.
• Halloween costumes allowing fans to dress up as their favorite mascot.

Conclusion

Owl mascots remain an incredibly popular choice for colleges and universities across the United States. These mascots embody many admirable qualities that higher education institutions want to be associated with, including wisdom, intelligence, watchfulness, and determination. While there are too many schools with owl mascots to name them all, some of the most famous examples include Temple’s Hooter, FAU’s Owlsley, Rice’s Sammy, and Kennesaw State’s Scrappy. These mascots frequently represent their schools at events, in pop culture, and on all kinds of merchandise beloved by students and alumni.