New Blugold Mascot Concepts

Mike Paulus |

Buckle up for some huge news from UW-Eau Claire! A highly-skilled committee charged with selecting an official mascot for the University has narrowed its options to three: an ox, a voyageur , and ... no mascot.

What kind of boring school doesn’t want a mascot?

Artwork and a narrative supporting each concept will be emailed out tomorrow to thousands of alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of the university. The e-mail will ask recipients to rate each idea and offer comments on the concepts. Here’s what we got:

  • The Voyageur. The voyageur represents the finest aspects of Blugold tradition: exploration, courage, curiosity, excellence and diversity, their proposal stated. The region's legacy is rooted in French and Native American names of rivers, towns, lakes and woodlands, they said. Eau Claire was named by voyageurs. Look.
  • The Blugold Ox. The ox would have golden horns and a yoke made from the Council Oak Tree, symbolizing a charge toward the future. Lumbermen prized oxen for their loyalty and endurance, she stated, noting that Babe the Blue Ox's hooves have been credited for making hills and rivers. The Blugold Ox embodies an extreme thirst — for knowledge and excellence. Look.


I don’t know about you, but that raging bull up there looks a lot more formidable than Frenchy McFringePants. Plus, the ox artist – Mallory Prucha Rishoi – is half of the duo behind this awesomeness, so that’s cool. 

Way more mascoty info here.