The Lobo mascot is a symbol used by various schools, sports teams, and organizations. The word "lobo" is Spanish for wolf, and the mascot typically depicts a fierce and strong wolf character. The Lobo mascot is often associated with attributes such as courage, loyalty, and strength. It is seen as a representation of a team or organization's identity and is used to rally supporters and create a sense of camaraderie among the members. In sports, the Lobo mascot is commonly used by teams at the high school and college levels. It is often present at sporting events, cheering on the team and engaging with the crowd.
UNM Traditions - The Lobo Mascot
After "Lobo" was adopted as the school's nickname in 1920, it was not long thereafter that a real Lobo became the mascot.
Bruno Dieckmann, class of 1902, and by 1920 a successful Albuquerque insurance and real estate agent, acquired the first Lobo for the University at his own expense. At the time he was treasurer of the Athletic Association and "one of the most admired men in town."
Elsie Ruth Chant, class of 1923, recalled, "All of the girls on campus wanted to be seen with him. He was an accomplished concert violinist as well as being a successful businessman, and he was rich. He drove a Stutz Bearcat convertible around town and all of the girls would compete to get rides with him. Sometimes he had five or six girls in the car, and when he finally got married, he left broken hearts all over campus. Anyway, he either caught it himself or he paid to have a wolf captured in the Mount Taylor area. The wolf was brought into the school and a student by the name of Bowman would take it on a leash to the football practice area."
Apparently, a government trapper named Jim Young caught a wolf pup on the Floyd Lee Ranch near Mount Taylor in western part of the state. The cub became the responsibility of the cheerleaders and it appeared in harness at every football game. However, in the late 20s, a child teased the wolf and the child was bitten at one of the games. UNM officials were forced to dispose of the wolf, as one historian put it, "for fear other ill-bred brats might become tempted to play with the wolf and bring a damage suit."
A live wolf has really never been a part of the athletics scene since. In the early 1960s a human mascot named "Lobo Louie" was created. A second mascot, "Lobo Lucy" was created in the early 1980s. Both are now members of the school's cheerleading squad.
Lobo mascot
Lobo Mascot
After “Lobo” was adopted as the school’s nickname in 1920, it was not long thereafter that a real Lobo became the mascot.
Bruno Dieckmann, class of 1902, and by 1920 a successful Albuquerque insurance and real estate agent, acquired the first Lobo for the University at his own expense. At the time he was treasurer of the Athletic Association and “one of the most admired men in town.”
Elsie Ruth Chant, class of 1923, recalled, “All of the girls on campus wanted to be seen with him. He was an accomplished concert violinist as well as being a successful businessman, and he was rich. He drove a Stutz Bearcat convertible around town and all of the girls would compete to get rides with him. Sometimes he had five or six girls in the car, and when he finally got married, he left broken hearts all over campus. Anyway, he either caught it himself or he paid to have a wolf captured in the Mount Taylor area. The wolf was brought into the school and a student by the name of Bowman would take it on a leash to the football practice area.”
Lucy and Louie
Apparently, a government trapper named Jim Young caught a wolf pup on the Floyd Lee Ranch near Mount Taylor in western part of the state. The cub became the responsibility of the cheerleaders and it appeared in harness at every football game. However, in the late ’20s, a child teased the wolf and the child was bitten at one of the games. UNM officials were forced to dispose of the wolf, as one historian put it, “for fear other ill-bred brats might become tempted to play with the wolf and bring a damage suit.”
A live wolf has really never been a part of the athletics scene since then until the mid 2010s, when Zoerro became an official wolf ambassador from the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary located just south of Gallup. The mission of the sanctuary is to rescue displaced, unwanted and un-releasable captive-bred wolves, wolf dogs and other related species. Animals are provided permanent, lifetime safe sanctuary and the highest level of care, enrichment and habitat.
The sanctuary also educates the public about wolves, wolf dogs and other related species, our ecosystem, how we all play a part in it, and the excellent ethical care of treatment of all animals, domestic and wild.
In the early 1960s, a human mascot named “Lobo Louie” was created. A second mascot, “Lobo Lucy” was created in the early 1980s. Both are now members of the school’s cheerleading squad.
Bring Lobo the Wolf back to JCU
Arts and Life Editor Claire Schuppel uncovers the archives on JCU mascot Lobo the Wolf.
Claire Schuppel, Arts & Life Editor
May 15, 2023
If you were to walk up to any John Carroll student and ask them if they know what our mascot is, you’re likely going to get one of two responses: “I have no clue what a Blue Streak is,” or “Isn’t it a wolf or something?”
Candidly, our university does not have the same love for our mascot as larger schools like Ohio State’s Brutus Buckeye or Bowling Green’s Freddie and Frieda Falcon. This raises a few questions: what is a Blue Streak? What happened to our mascot’s marketing? What must happen to bring back that image?
Just like present day, in the 1920s, JCU did not have an identifiable mascot that fit among the ranks of other colleges; overall, the university was struggling to find their proper branding. JCU Athletics reported in 2019 that Raymond Gibbons from the class of 1924 said that the athletes running on the field in their uniforms were “tearing around like a blue streak.” From there, the nickname stuck and later became the branding for JCU.
Another, lesser known, symbol of JCU is Lobo the Wolf, which is the costume seen at athletic events in the past. According to the JCU website, “Lobo” comes from the phrase seen on our university seal, “Lobo-y-olla” (“wolf and pot”), signifying the generosity of the Jesuits. This was shortened to the “Loyola” that many associate with Jesuit universities to this day. From this, our beloved Lobo was born. The mascot was used at games and other university events until recent years, which has raised some concerns on what happened to Lobo.
Joe Ginley ’16, who has been JCU’s Sports Information Director since 2020, offered insight on where Lobo has been. During his time in undergrad, Ginley said that Lobo’s imagery was used more frequently, despite never fully incorporating the wolf into athletics, as “the costume was around a lot more, but you wouldn’t necessarily see it in official instances.” Lobo would be at games with the students in the crowd, but was seldom used in merchandising.
When discussing why JCU doesn’t use the Lobo imagery in logos or merchandise, Ginley said that the athletics department rebranded in 2020 for consistency and recognition of the Blue Streak teams and, “during that process, that was when the decision was made to stop using Lobo.”
At least for me personally, it is kind of a bummer that we don’t have that cool, cartoonish character and it’s a known thing for colleges to have.
Ginley also shared his personal thoughts on our current lack of a mascot saying, “At least for me personally, it is kind of a bummer that we don’t have that cool, cartoonish character and it’s a known thing for colleges to have.” He believes that not having the mascot is not a detriment to our branding, as JCU has a sophisticated design, but also shared that it would be cool for students to have an identifiable mascot.
Drawing comparisons between JCU’s general lack of knowledge on our mascot and how students at other Ohio universities feel about theirs could be useful in seeing what we have to change about Lobo’s lack of use.
When asked about the personal significance of Kent State University’s mascot, Flash the Eagle, alumna Alyssa Dziak ’22 stated, “I am a second generation KSU graduate and I’ve been visiting Kent my entire life with my mom, so when I entered Kent as a freshman, it was inspiring to see someone [Flash] as excited to be there as I was – until I met him in the student center and he was big and scary.”
The University of Toledo also has an interesting mascot, Rocky the Rocket. Student Sean Mahoney ’24 said that information on the mascot’s origins is not widely known on campus, but Rocky is a fundamental part of games and tailgates. “I feel like I know Rocky personally and that’s pretty awesome,” Mahoney said. “They’re just a good way to get the crowd going…it gives you a connection to them that you wouldn’t get at other schools.”
One of Ohio’s most famous mascots is Rufus the Bobcat of Ohio University who student Halle Breudigam ’24 said is “the face of OU.” She also shared that school spirit is heightened by the active role Rufus plays in their campus events. “I noticed ever since I enrolled in OU that everyone who went here is proud to be a bobcat.”
The future of Lobo is unknown, but there are a select few students who want to see his return. Class Senator Morgan Anderson ’25 is an advocate for Lobo’s return, saying, “I think that bringing back Lobo is something that would enhance the athletic experience at John Carroll and overall boost morale among students at athletic events.”
Anderson also stated that as a member of the Carroll Crazies, she plans on mentioning the importance of reintegrating Lobo back into sporting events. Since not many individuals know much about Lobo and his importance, Anderson said, “The first step in our mascot returning to campus is to make the students aware of the significance that Lobo holds!”
Ginley also stated ideas for bringing Lobo back to the students, as we have had time to establish the school rebrand. He said that Lobo could be used intermittently at games and he even proposed, “Why don’t we have a throwback day? How can we utilize Lobo here and there to create some fun with it?” The idea of bringing Lobo back has been discussed by the athletic department, and with the new Director of Athletics Brian Polian ‘97, JCU might see some mascot changes in the near future.
The Blue Streaks who are most passionate about bringing Lobo back onto the radar of JCU community members should follow Ginley’s words: “if students have ideas, they should definitely bring them forward… if someone says, ‘we should do a design contest,’ or if someone wants to make a special t-shirt, ideas are great. If folks have ideas, let’s hear them!”
If you are also a Lobo advocate, reach out to student government and send emails to the athletics department.
It is often present at sporting events, cheering on the team and engaging with the crowd. The Lobo mascot can also be found in various forms of merchandise, such as apparel and accessories, further promoting team pride and unity. Beyond sports, the Lobo mascot can also be seen in other organizations and events.
For example, schools may adopt the Lobo mascot to represent their academic and community values, using it in promotional materials and at school events. Additionally, the Lobo mascot may be a fixture at community events, parades, and fundraisers, bringing a sense of energy and excitement to these gatherings. Overall, the Lobo mascot serves as a powerful symbol that brings people together, fosters a sense of pride and identity, and represents the values and spirit of a team or organization. Whether in the context of sports or other domains, the Lobo mascot plays an important role in creating a strong and unified community..
Reviews for "The Lobo mascot and its impact on the local community"
- Jenny - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the Lobo mascot at the game. It looked so outdated and tired. The costume was old and falling apart, and the person inside didn't even bother to engage with the crowd. It felt like they were just going through the motions. I've seen much better mascots at other games, so I was really let down by the Lobo mascot.
- Mark - 1 star - The Lobo mascot was a complete letdown. The costume looked cheap and poorly made. The person inside didn't have any energy or enthusiasm; they just stood there and waved. It felt like they were forced to be there and had no real connection to the team or the fans. I think they need to invest in a new mascot who can actually get the crowd excited.
- Sarah - 2 stars - I was not impressed with the Lobo mascot. It looked so outdated and cheesy. The person inside didn't even try to interact with the fans; they just walked around aimlessly. It felt like they were just there to collect a paycheck and didn't really care about representing the team. I think they need to find someone who can bring some energy and excitement to the role.
- Alex - 3 stars - While the Lobo mascot was decent, it could definitely use some improvement. The costume looked a bit worn out and the person inside didn't seem very enthusiastic. They could have been more engaging with the crowd and tried to create a fun and interactive atmosphere. Overall, it was a mediocre experience, but I think with some improvements, the Lobo mascot could be great.