Rowdy (officially Rowdy the Roadrunner) is the mascot of the
University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners
The roadrunners (genus ''Geococcyx''), also known as chaparral birds or chaparral cocks, are two species of fast-running ground cuckoos with long tails and crests. They are found in the southwestern and south-central United States and Mexico, us ...
. He appears at athletic events, such as football and basketball games, and other university sponsored events. An
anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.
Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
roadrunner, Rowdy is based upon the
Greater Roadrunner
The greater roadrunner (''Geococcyx californianus'') is a long-legged bird in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae, from the Aridoamerica region in the Southwestern United States and Mexico. The scientific name means "Californian earth-cuckoo". Along wit ...
.
History
The origin of Rowdy dates back to 1977, when the Student Representative Assembly (the forerunner to the modern Student Government Association) was openly debating the university's mascot.
An original vote, which favored "The Armadillos" and "The Stars" was declared null and void by the SRA, making way for a second campus-wide poll.
The second election was hotly contested between "The Roadrunners" and "The Armadillos"—with vigorous support on either side.
after the final vote, the
roadrunner was announced as the official mascot of UTSA at a bonfire celebration later that year.
["Go...'Dillos?: How UTSA's Mascot Became the Roadrunner." The Top Shelf: Blog of the UTSA Archives and Special Collections, December 19, 2008.](_blank)
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On March 1, 2008, UTSA unveiled the new Rowdy and UTSA logos at the homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia.
...
men's basketball game vs. Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. Many students and administrators at UTSA thought the previous Rowdy bore too much resemblance to the Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
Jayhawk.UTSA Athletics unveils new logos, word marks
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References
Conference USA mascots
UTSA Roadrunners
Fictional birds
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