Friars, Bears and Rams: Meet Rhode Island’s College Mascots
We may be the smallest state, but with our large number of colleges and universities across the state, Rhode Island’s collegiate athletics programs provide a vast platform for youth athletes to compete on campuses throughout the state, many of which lie right here in Providence.
Students from all universities have come to know their mascots, from Providence College’s Friars to the URI Rams, and they have become essential to school spirit and attracting fans to university athletics. Whether you’re in PC’s Schneider Arena watching a hockey game or the Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex at JWU, you’ll be sure to see these mascots having fun and entertaining the fan section.
From basketball courts and soccer fields to cross-country trails and even an esports gaming lab, Rhode Island’s college and university campuses are as diverse as their collegiate mascots!
Providence College now has two mascots, the more well-known Friar Dom and his friendly companion, Huxley the Dalmatian. You can find them at Friars men’s basketball home games at the Amica Mutual Pavilion, or on one of PC’s campus facilities, including hockey rinks, soccer and lacrosse fields and many more.
In addition to four statues across campus (including the iconic “Bronze Bruno”) you’ll find Bruno the Bear cheering on Brown University‘s glowing athletic program. First introduced in 1905, Bruno was originally represented by a live bear named Dinks, who appeared at the stadium along with his mate, Helen. Student organizations were responsible for maintaining care of the bears (despite escapes and kidnapping attempts from rival teams) until the early 1960s, when the live animals were replaced by the costumed bear we know today.
The Brown University Bears compete on 34 varsity teams and 37 club sports teams that are routinely among the nation’s leaders in NCAA honors for academic achievement. Varsity athletes have competed for national titles and Ivy League championships, with graduates going on to compete in professional sports and the Olympics. The campus is home to a state-of-the-art fitness center along with an expansive athletics complex that houses Ivy League football, recreational pickle ball and everything in between.
At Johnson & Wales University, you can find their mascot Wildcat Willie on campus and at their Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex. Originally introduced in the 1960s, Willie was briefly replaced by a Griffin in the ’90s, before returning in all his glory in 1997.
This past August, Willie attended the Boston Bruins Fan Fest in Providence, reuniting with his old pal, Bruins’ mascot Blades. The day of fan activities, player meet and greets and family fun highlighted the growing collaboration between JWU and the Bruins.
JWU’s Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex just might have the best view of all the NCAA Division III facilities in the country. The JWU Wildcats baseball, lacrosse, soccer and softball teams play right on the banks of Narragansett Bay. If that doesn’t inspire a game-winning performance, we don’t know what does.
Keep your eye on JWU this spring as they play host to the Division III National Wrestling Championship at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in March!
Official University of Rhode Island mascot, Rhody the Ram, was selected in 1923 to reflect the university’s agricultural roots. Like his counterpart at Brown University, a live Rhody the Ram made his debut at a football game in 1929, a tradition which continued until 1974 when the first costumed mascot appeared. In addition to sporting events, Rhody often appears around campus for community events, even making an appearance dressed as Taylor Swift, and has been recognized in the Mascot Hall of Fame.
Rhody is frequently spotted at the Ryan Center, home to Rhody Rams men’s and women’s basketball teams as well as the football team locker rooms, athletic offices and a souvenir store. Other campus facilities include soccer, softball and tennis complexes as well as a football and lacrosse stadium, fieldhouse and aquatics center.
Fun Fact: Two former students met while serving as Rhody the Ram and eventually married!
Bryant University‘s 25 NCAA Division I teams are represented by both a costumed Bulldog and a live bulldog mascot. Tupper II, the current bulldog, was named after the original, Ironclad Tupper. Ironclad Tupper, in turn, was named in recognition of Tupperware Corporation president Earl Tupper, who dedicated the land for Bryant’s Smithfield campus in 1967. Tupper II, and his costumed counterpart, can be found raising school spirit at sporting events and community events for current students and alumni.
Bryant’s Chace Athletic Center is the home for the Bulldogs basketball, volleyball and swimming and diving teams. Other sport facilities on campus include football fields, cross country trails, tennis courts, baseball and softball stadiums and more. Best of all, Bryant’s campus is just 15 miles north of Providence, making it an ideal spot for multi-facility sporting events.
Read on for more info about Rhode Island’s college and university sports scene.
