Willie the Wildcat (Northwestern)

Willie the Wildcat
Willie the Wildcat
	Willie the Wildcat in 2018
University	Northwestern University
Conference	Big Ten
Description	Anthropomorphic wildcat
First seen	1933

Last updated November 22, 2024

Willie the Wildcat is the mascot for the Northwestern Wildcats.

History

Willie the Wildcat

c. 2007

c. 1961

The name "Wildcats" was bestowed upon the university in 1924 by a writer for the Chicago Tribune who wrote that even in a loss to the University of Chicago Maroons, the Northwestern football players looked like "Wildcats [that] had come down from Evanston." The name was so popular that university board members made "Wildcats" the official nickname just months later.

In 1933, the Northwestern athletic department and an advertising firm created the first image of Willie. However, he did not come to life until 1947, when members of the Alpha Delta fraternity dressed up as him during the Homecoming parade.

In 2007, the first football game revealed a new-look Willie after a "makeover".

Evanston Township High School, the largest public high school in Evanston, has Willie the Wildkit as its mascot, in direct relation to Northwestern.

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The 1882 Northwestern Purple football team was an American football team that represented Northwestern University during the 1882 college football season. The Northwestern team played its first intercollegiate football game against Lake Forest College on November 11, 1882. Northwestern lost after giving up one goal from touchdown, two touchdowns, and two "safety touchdowns." In a rematch played one week later between the same teams, Northwestern recorded its first intercollegiate football victory with two touchdowns and one goal from touchdown.

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The 1895 Northwestern Purple team represented Northwestern University during the 1895 college football season. In their first year under head coach Jesse Van Doozer, the Purple compiled a 6–5 record.

The 1894 Northwestern Purple team represented Northwestern University during the 1894 college football season. In their first and only year under head coach A. A. Ewing, the Purple compiled a 4–5 record. Three of the victories were mid-week warm-up games against Evanston High School. In three games against major college opponents, the team lost by a combined total score of 148 to 0.

The 1977 Northwestern Wildcats team represented Northwestern University during the 1977 Big Ten Conference football season. In their fifth year under head coach John Pont, the Wildcats compiled a 1–10 record and finished in last place in the Big Ten Conference.

The George Jewett Trophy is an American college football rivalry trophy that was established in 2021 to be awarded to the winner of the Michigan–Northwestern football game.

References

Skjervem, M. & Reck, D. M. (2007). Wildcat Stuff Book for Peer Coordinators. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University.

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Helms and Premo-Porretta national championship in bold

v t e Northwestern Wildcats women's basketball
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