Pounce (mascot)

Last updated
Pounce
GSUPounce2018.jpg
Pounce, the current Georgia State University mascot.
UniversityGeorgia State University
Conference Sun Belt
Description Panther
First seen1993 (updated in 2009)

Pounce is the official mascot of Georgia State University. Pounce is usually represented as a stylized panther with blue fur, sharp white teeth with protruding canines, and black whiskers. He usually wears either the men's basketball outfit (during basketball season) or the University football uniform. Pounce has existed in his current form since 2009, but has existed in two previous forms. Prior to that, a host of other mascots represented Georgia State University.

Contents

Tradition

Like many mascots, Pounce communicates via hand gestures and sign language, rather than speech. Pounce is often used in different community projects either sponsored by or held by the university. [1] While Pounce is considered a Panther, a specific definition of which species he is not elaborated on, although he shows considerable likeness to the Florida Panther, which was once native to Georgia. [2] Pounce is 6'0 with a 3-foot tail and favors the colors royal blue and white. [3]

History

Georgia State University has had multiple names and mascots (under its various names), beginning with an Owl in 1940 when the school was Georgia Evening College (due to it being a night school). In 1947, the school would, for no apparent reason, change the athletics teams' names to the Ramblers. This would again change in 1955 to the Panthers, however at that time no mascot existed for the school. Claws the Panther, the first personified blue panther, was created in the early 1980s to support the GSU basketball team. Both the school's student newspaper, the Signal, and the yearbook, The Cauldron, identified the mascot as being played by Jay Black who would later become a professor at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. In 1989, Urbie, a crimson panther was created, but would only remain until 1993 when a new mascot, Pounce, was unveiled. The original Pounce was a cartoonish, muscular blue panther with yellow eyes, a red nose and four fingers on each hand with yellow claws on each. This remained the university's mascot with slight variations (including more ferocious facial gestures) up until 2009. As the university unveiled its new football team, it also unveiled a new Pounce, complete with a sleeker design. This is the current mascot in use. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southeastern Conference</span> Collegiate athletics conference operating primarily in the southeastern United States

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members include the flagship public universities of 12 states, three additional public land-grant universities, and one private research university. The conference is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. The SEC participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I in sports competitions. In football, it is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hook 'em Horns</span> Chant and hand gesture of the University of Texas at Austin

Hook 'em Horns is the chant and hand signal of The University of Texas at Austin. Students, alumni, and fans of the university employ a greeting consisting of the phrase "Hook 'em" or "Hook 'em Horns" to show school pride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sign of the horns</span> Hand gesture

The sign of the horns is a hand gesture with a variety of meanings and uses in various cultures. It is formed by extending the index and little fingers while holding the middle and ring fingers down with the thumb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buzz (mascot)</span> One of the two official mascots of the Georgia Institute of Technology

Buzz is the current official mascot of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Buzz is usually represented as a stylized yellowjacket with yellow-and-black fur, white wings, a yellow head, and antennae. Buzz is almost never drawn with six legs, but rather with arms, legs, hands and feet, like a human. Invented in 1972 and restyled in 1979, Buzz reflects the tradition of referring to Georgia Tech students as "Yellow Jackets." Buzz is also one of Georgia Tech's emblems and trademarks, one that they defended in a 1998 legal conflict with the Salt Lake Buzz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GSU Sports Arena</span>

The Georgia State University Sports Arena is an indoor arena located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was the home of the basketball teams of Georgia State University from 1973 until 2022 and hosted the badminton competition of the 1996 Summer Olympics. It is the home of Georgia State's women's volleyball team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocky the Bull</span>

Rocky the Bull is the mascot of the University of South Florida. He is an anthropomorphized bull who can typically be seen at athletic dressed in USF athletic gear--usually a football or basketball jersey, but occasionally other attire like a USF T-shirt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Atlantic Owls</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Florida Atlantic University

The Florida Atlantic Owls are the athletics teams of Florida Atlantic University. The Owls participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I as members of the American Athletic Conference. On October 21, 2021, Florida Atlantic accepted the invitation to join The American and became a full member on July 1, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Providence Friars</span> Athletics program of Providence College

The Providence Friars are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Providence College, located in Providence, Rhode Island. They compete in the Big East Conference for every sport except for ice hockey, where they compete in Hockey East. The Big East Conference was founded in 1979 by former athletic director and men's basketball coach Dave Gavitt. On December 15, 2012, Providence and the other seven Catholic, non-FBS schools announced that they were departing the Big East for a new conference; on March 7, 2013, it was officially confirmed that Providence's new conference would operate under the Big East name. The women's volleyball team, which had been an associate member of the America East Conference before the Big East split, remained in that conference for one more season before joining the Big East for the 2014 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kennesaw State Owls</span> College athletics program of Kennesaw State University

The Kennesaw State Owls fields 16 varsity athletics teams, competing for Kennesaw State University. After spending ten years in Division II's Peach Belt Conference, the university fully transitioned to Division I status in the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the beginning of the 2009–10 season. All of Kennesaw State's sports teams competed in the Atlantic Sun Conference through the 2023–24 school year, except that football competed as an FCS independent in the 2023 season only. In July 2023, KSU started a transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in advance of its move to Conference USA, which happened in 2024. Of its 18 varsity sports, only women's lacrosse is not sponsored by CUSA. The school mascot is Scrappy the Owl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball</span> College basketball team

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball team represents the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in NCAA Division I basketball. The team plays its home games in McCamish Pavilion on the school's Atlanta campus and is currently coached by Damon Stoudamire. Bobby Cremins led his team to the first ACC tournament victory in school history in 1985 and in 1990 he took Georgia Tech to the school's first Final Four appearance ever. Cremins retired from Georgia Tech in 2000 with the school's best winning percentage as a head coach. The Yellow Jackets returned to the Final Four in 2004 under Paul Hewitt and lost in the national title game, losing to UConn. Overall, the team has won 1,352 games and lost 1,226 games, a .524 win percentage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia State Panthers</span> Intercollegiate teams of Georgia State University

The Georgia State Panthers are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent Georgia State University, located in Atlanta, Georgia. All GSU teams compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I FBS level as members of the Sun Belt Conference, a conference of which they were a charter member. Previously, GSU was a member of the CAA, and prior to that, the ASUN Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panthers of Pittsburgh</span> Mascot of the University of Pittsburgh

A panther is the animal that serves as the official mascot of the University of Pittsburgh and used as a nickname for both athletic teams as well as other organizations and affiliates of the university. The mascot is generally referred to as the Pittsburgh Panther or Pitt Panther, while the costumed panther mascot is also named "Roc". Up to 20 physical representations of panthers can be found in and around the university's campus and athletic facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas State Red Wolves</span> Athletic teams representing Arkansas State University

The Arkansas State Red Wolves are the athletic teams of Arkansas State University. They are a member of the Sun Belt Conference in all sports except women's bowling, a sport not sponsored by that league, competing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level. As of the next NCAA bowling season in 2023–24, the bowling team will compete in Conference USA, which absorbed the single-sport Southland Bowling League after the 2022–23 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia State Panthers football</span> Georgia State University sports team

The Georgia State Panthers football team is the college football program for Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. The Panthers football team was founded in 2010 and competes at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The Panthers currently play at Center Parc Stadium, about ten minutes from GSU's downtown campus.

The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders are the men's and women's athletic teams at Middle Tennessee State University, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. MT athletic teams participate in NCAA Division I in Conference USA. MT competed in the Ohio Valley Conference until 2000, and the Sun Belt Conference until 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia State Panthers men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team

The Georgia State Panthers men's basketball team represents Georgia State University and competes in the Sun Belt Conference of NCAA Division I. The Panthers play at the Georgia State Convocation Center in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Charlotte 49ers football team</span> American college football season

The 2015 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the school's third overall season of NCAA football, their first season of NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) play, and their first season as a member of Conference USA for football. The team was led by third-year head coach Brad Lambert and played its home games on campus at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. As part of their transition to FBS they were ineligible to participate in the College Football Playoff and bowl games, but could have qualified for the Conference USA Football Championship Game. They finished the season 2–10, 0–8 in C-USA play to finish in last place in the East Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eustis High School</span> Public school, co-ed school in Eustis, Florida, United States

Eustis High School is the local high school for the city of Eustis, Florida, United States. Located at 1300 E Washington Ave Eustis, FL 32726. Athletic teams are the Panthers. The school is a member of the Lake County Schools district.

References

  1. "Pounce". Georgia State Athletics . Retrieved 2011-10-04.
  2. "Florida Panther". Defenders of Wildlife . Retrieved 2011-10-04.
  3. "Pounce Facts". Georgia State Athletics . Retrieved 2011-10-04.
  4. "From the Owls to the Panthers". The Signal . Retrieved 2011-10-06.