The Top 12 Mascots of the NCAA Tournament

SI Staff | Mar 19, 2015

The Top 12 Mascots of the NCAA Tournament /

The Top 12 Mascots of the NCAA Tournament

#12: Great Dane (Albany)

Albany would be ranked higher if it used Scooby-Doo as its mascot, but we won't penalize the school too greatly. This is a mean-looking dog that somehow manages to remain adorable at the same time.

#11: Chauncey the Chanticleer (Coastal Carolina)

Mark Abbott/Southcreek Global/Zuma Press/Icon SMI

Chanticleers. CHANTICLEERS. Coast Carolina could've gone with roosters, but it made its mascot far more noble and literary. A Canterbury Tale throwback on the hardwood.

#10: Ozzie the Osprey (North Florida)

If there's one thing this bird loves more than seafood, it's dancing. And by dancing, I mean shaking his belly from side to side.

#9: Friar Boy (Providence)

That mouth. That ridiculous, insane, absurd mouth. I just ... I don't ... I can't ...

#8: The Aztec Warrior (San Diego State)

That's quite an impressive get-up. You couldn't get away with wearing sandals in the north in the middle of March. Trust me, I've tried.

#7: Rudy Flyer (Dayton)

Just look at that guy. He looks like Dr. Robotnik from Sonic.

#6: Lumberjack (Stephen F. Austin)

Many schools would opt for a Lumberjack costume. Not Stephen F. Austin. It simply finds the biggest dude on campus, buys him a bunch of tanning sessions, gives him a $5 flannel shirt and an axe and lets him do his thing. This mascot is minimalist and wonderful.

#5: WuShock (Wichita State)

No other college mascot is supposed to represent "a big, bad, muscle-bound bundle of wheat." Also, the official bio on Wichita State's site says WuShock has been "kidnapped and kicked out of games, and even starred in a movie." So there's that.

#4: Peter the Anteater (UC Irvine)

The anteater is one of the most unique looking creatures in the animal kingdom, and Peter the Anteater is no exception. Peter by far has the longest tongue in this year's field and is not afraid to use it.

#3: Puddles (Oregon)

Puddles is mischievous and everything a mascot should aspire to be. He is also easily the most photogenic of all college mascots.

#2: Sparty (Michigan State)

Because Sparty spawned one of the best basketball GIFs ever created, just shaking his head.

#1: The Blue Devil (Duke)

Sure, you either love it or you hate it. But the Blue Devil elicits a response out of everybody with its hand-written tape notes and unbridled enthusiasm.

Published Mar 19, 2015

SI STAFF