Red (mascot)
Encyclopedia
In 2003, Arkansas State University decided to make a new mascot, named 'Red', created by ASU’s Director of Athletic Marketing Andrea Scott.
“The spirit character began as a project to design a character that looks friendly, is unique, and is not an animal,” Andrea said. “I was looking for something out of the ordinary that’s presence could elevate spirit at ball games.”
“Red absolutely will not replace Arkansas State’s official mascot, the Indian Family,” said Dr. Dean Lee, ASU Director of Athletics.
“Red was named because that was how he was perceived by the marketing analysis and research groups, which were children and youth,” said Dr. Dean Lee, ASU’s Athletic Director.
He has won many awards, such as:
2004 – Universal Cheerleader Association – won 3rd place as “best mascot”
2005 – Universal Cheerleader Association – won “best mascot”
2005 – University Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship – won 6th place
2006 – Universal Cheerleader Association – won “best mascot”
2006 – College National Mascot Championship – won 2nd place
Lost only to Auburns "Aubie", and beat Michigan State University's “Sparty”, University of Delaware's “YoUDee”, University of Minnesota's “Goldy Gopher”, University of Kentucky's “Wildcat”, University of Tennessee's “Smoky”, University of Iowa's “Herky the Hawk”, University of Alabama's “Big Al”, University of Wisconsin's “Bucky Badger”.
2006 – Southern Living magazine – All-South football section
2007 – College National Mascot Championship – won 4th place
He won over Tennessee's "Smokey", Colorado's "Chip", Delaware's "YoUDee", Alabama's "Big AL", Louisiana State's "Mike the Tiger", and Northern Iowa's "TC".
Gorilla – 1925
Warriors – 1930
Indians (Indian Family)
– 1931
A year after the Warrior name was added, they decided to change it to the Indians, because they were similar.
The Indian Family are three students, which include Chief Big Track, named after the legendary chief of the Osage Tribe.
“The Indian Family maintains a stately and dignified persona befitting the Indian tribes which once lived in this area as the official mascot of Arkansas State athletics and they will still have a major presence at our game day events,” said Lee.
‘Red’ – 2003 ~ ‘Red’ was created as a spirit character to bring excitement to women’s and men’s athletic events for the youth. He was not the official mascot.
Red Wolves (Howl) – 2008 ~ Because of the NCAA rules, Arkansas State was forced to change their Indian name to the Red Wolves
that inhabited the area until the 1800s. The name “Indians” officially became the school’s athletic nickname in 1931 following “Aggies” in 1911 (sometimes called “Farmers”), “Gorillas” in 1925, and then “Warriors” in 1930.
On June 18, 2007, Arkansas State's Mascot Review Committee unanimously approved a recommendation for Arkansas State to retire the "Indians" nickname and all Native American mascots and imagery. The time frame for finding a new mascot is yet to be determined. Chancellor Robert L. Potts promised a broad-based search to be guided by a Mascot Selection Steering Committee. The move for the name change comes in response to the NCAA's 2005 ban on ethnically or racially derogatory mascots at championship events.
, Diamonds, Express, Mallard
s, Mustangs
, Red Dragons, Red Storm, Ridge
Runners, Ridge Riders and Thunderbirds. A meeting was held on December 3, 2007 to review the list, which was narrowed in January 2008 to Red Wolves, Ridge Riders or Express Train. http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/jan/05/asu-mascot-winnowed-three-red-wolves-ridge-riders-/?sports
On January 31, 2008, Arkansas State University’s Mascot Selection Steering Committee decided to use the Wolves as a mascot. Arkansas State officially retired the Indian mascot on February 28, 2008 during the last home basketball game of the season.
The Roll-Out Ceremony for the new Red Wolves logo was held on March 13.
“The spirit character began as a project to design a character that looks friendly, is unique, and is not an animal,” Andrea said. “I was looking for something out of the ordinary that’s presence could elevate spirit at ball games.”
“Red absolutely will not replace Arkansas State’s official mascot, the Indian Family,” said Dr. Dean Lee, ASU Director of Athletics.
“Red was named because that was how he was perceived by the marketing analysis and research groups, which were children and youth,” said Dr. Dean Lee, ASU’s Athletic Director.
Awards
He has won many awards, such as:
2004 – Universal Cheerleader Association – won 3rd place as “best mascot”
2005 – Universal Cheerleader Association – won “best mascot”
2005 – University Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship – won 6th place
2006 – Universal Cheerleader Association – won “best mascot”
2006 – College National Mascot Championship – won 2nd place
Lost only to Auburns "Aubie", and beat Michigan State University's “Sparty”, University of Delaware's “YoUDee”, University of Minnesota's “Goldy Gopher”, University of Kentucky's “Wildcat”, University of Tennessee's “Smoky”, University of Iowa's “Herky the Hawk”, University of Alabama's “Big Al”, University of Wisconsin's “Bucky Badger”.
2006 – Southern Living magazine – All-South football section
2007 – College National Mascot Championship – won 4th place
He won over Tennessee's "Smokey", Colorado's "Chip", Delaware's "YoUDee", Alabama's "Big AL", Louisiana State's "Mike the Tiger", and Northern Iowa's "TC".
Former Mascots/Nicknames
Aggies – 1911 ~ ASU was the only agriculture college in Eastern Arkansas.Gorilla – 1925
Warriors – 1930
Indians (Indian Family)
ASU Indian Family
The ASU Indian Family is a trio of mascots for Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The family consists of Chief Big Track , an unnamed brave and an unnamed princess. It is one of the few trios of athletics mascots for a university.The tradition, which had been dormant for years, was...
– 1931
A year after the Warrior name was added, they decided to change it to the Indians, because they were similar.
The Indian Family are three students, which include Chief Big Track, named after the legendary chief of the Osage Tribe.
“The Indian Family maintains a stately and dignified persona befitting the Indian tribes which once lived in this area as the official mascot of Arkansas State athletics and they will still have a major presence at our game day events,” said Lee.
‘Red’ – 2003 ~ ‘Red’ was created as a spirit character to bring excitement to women’s and men’s athletic events for the youth. He was not the official mascot.
Red Wolves (Howl) – 2008 ~ Because of the NCAA rules, Arkansas State was forced to change their Indian name to the Red Wolves
Indian Family (Former Mascot)|ASU Indian Family
The school's sports teams were nicknamed "Indians" in honor of the Osage NationOsage Nation
The Osage Nation is a Native American Siouan-language tribe in the United States that originated in the Ohio River valley in present-day Kentucky. After years of war with invading Iroquois, the Osage migrated west of the Mississippi River to their historic lands in present-day Arkansas, Missouri,...
that inhabited the area until the 1800s. The name “Indians” officially became the school’s athletic nickname in 1931 following “Aggies” in 1911 (sometimes called “Farmers”), “Gorillas” in 1925, and then “Warriors” in 1930.
On June 18, 2007, Arkansas State's Mascot Review Committee unanimously approved a recommendation for Arkansas State to retire the "Indians" nickname and all Native American mascots and imagery. The time frame for finding a new mascot is yet to be determined. Chancellor Robert L. Potts promised a broad-based search to be guided by a Mascot Selection Steering Committee. The move for the name change comes in response to the NCAA's 2005 ban on ethnically or racially derogatory mascots at championship events.
Red Wolves (Howl)
The panel selecting the new nickname first narrowed the list down to twelve finalists: A's, Black Wolves, Red WolvesRed Wolf
The red wolf is a North American canid which once roamed throughout the Southeastern United States and is a glacial period survivor of the Late Pleistocene epoch...
, Diamonds, Express, Mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
s, Mustangs
Mustang (horse)
A Mustang is a free-roaming horse of the North American west that first descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but there is intense debate over terminology...
, Red Dragons, Red Storm, Ridge
Crowley's Ridge
Crowley's Ridge is an unusual geological formation that rises 250 to above the alluvial plain of the Mississippi embayment in a line from southeastern Missouri to the Mississippi River near Helena, Arkansas. It is the most prominent feature in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain between Cape...
Runners, Ridge Riders and Thunderbirds. A meeting was held on December 3, 2007 to review the list, which was narrowed in January 2008 to Red Wolves, Ridge Riders or Express Train. http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/jan/05/asu-mascot-winnowed-three-red-wolves-ridge-riders-/?sports
On January 31, 2008, Arkansas State University’s Mascot Selection Steering Committee decided to use the Wolves as a mascot. Arkansas State officially retired the Indian mascot on February 28, 2008 during the last home basketball game of the season.
The Roll-Out Ceremony for the new Red Wolves logo was held on March 13.