INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Hall of Champions will host a summer exhibit this year called “Mascot Mania: Our Fascination with Collegiate Traditions,” June 6 – September 24. This colorful exhibit will feature mascot costumes, photographs, trivia, historical information and interesting anecdotes on numerous NCAA mascots.

“We’ve seen the allegiance that sports fans have to their schools, specifically the athletics programs, so this is a fitting tribute to the many mascots who help generate much of that excitement,” said George Smith, managing director of the NCAA Hall of Champions.

“We anticipate seeing diehard sports fans, families in the community and individuals who like trivia during the run of the exhibit since there will be something for everyone. Throughout this planning, we found that there are some interesting stories behind what you may see on the sidelines at games. We’ll also have an exciting event Saturday, June 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central time called Mascot Mania: Mascots LIVE!,” Smith said.

The Mascot Mania: Mascots LIVE! event will feature collegiate mascots as well as live animals from the Indianapolis Zoo. Visitors can dance, get autographs, take pictures with their favorite collegiate mascots and even design their own mascots.

Mascots have long been considered a major focal point for fans and a unifying icon for colleges and universities. The Mascot Mania exhibit will share century-old stories of how schools selected their mascots, nicknames and school colors and how some traditions have changed over the years. Visitors also can test their knowledge of school mascots and nicknames during the event.

The Hall of Champions developed the idea for the mascot exhibit based on a September 13, 2004 story in the NCAA News, which is the Association’s publication. The story notes that more than 1,000 NCAA institutions have mascots or interesting nicknames, and the emblems are a source of entertainment and identity for sports fans and families.

More than 40 NCAA schools have an Eagle as their mascot, with Tigers, Hawks, Bulldogs, and Wildcats as close favorites. Some of the more interesting mascots include the Oglethorpe University Stormy Petrels, which is a seabird, the University of California, Santa Cruz Banana Slugs and the Pittsburg State University Gorillas. The Mascot Mania exhibit will feature schools in all three NCAA divisions.

The NCAA Hall of Champions represents the celebration of the NCAA student-athlete journey and provides the general public with historical information on the Association. The unique 25,000 square foot facility is located in downtown Indianapolis in the White River State Park.

NOTE: Link to the 9/13/04 NCAA News article is located in the Helpful Links box above.