Rowdy the Roadrunner is the mascot of the University of Texas at San Antonio

University of Texas at San Antonio

The University of Texas at San Antonio, commonly referred to as UTSA, is a state university in San Antonio, Texas. With an enrollment of more than 30,000 students, it is the third-largest of nine universities and six health institutions in the University of Texas System and the eighth-largest in...

 Roadrunners

UTSA Roadrunners

The UTSA Roadrunners is an athletic program that represent the University of Texas at San Antonio . The UTSA Roadrunners are also commonly referred to as "UTSA", Roadrunners,or simply as "Runners" . The Roadrunners compete in the NCAA Division I Southland Conference in 17 varsity sports...

, appearing as a supporter of athletics and other university sponsored events. The roadrunner was adopted as the official mascot in 1977 as a write-in option. If students had not shown their support for the roadrunner, UTSA's mascot would have been the armadillo

Armadillo

Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"...

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Rowdy is based upon the Greater Roadrunner

Greater Roadrunner

The Greater Roadrunner, taxonomically classified as Geococcyx californianus, meaning "Californian Earth-cuckoo," is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae. Along with the Lesser Roadrunner, it is one of two species in the roadrunner genus Geococcyx...

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On March 1, 2008, UTSA unveiled the new Rowdy and UTSA logos at the homecoming

Homecoming

Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...

 men's basketball game vs. Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi

Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi

Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi is a state university located in Corpus Christi, Texas, United States, on Ward Island in Oso Bay. The university is part of the Texas A&M University System...

. Many students and administrators at UTSA thought the elder Rowdy looked too much like the Kansas

University of Kansas

The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...

 Jayhawk

Kansas Jayhawks

The sports teams at the University of Kansas are known as the Jayhawks. They are one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a member of the Big 12 Conference...

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External links

• University of Texas at San Antonio - Official website
• UTSA Athletics