What Are Some Greek Mythology School Mascots?

Greek Gods and Goddesses, from the powerful Zeus to the wise Athena, were vitally important in the myths of history. Many things are named after either Greek or Roman Gods, including constellations in the sky. With the long history and tradition surrounding the stories of Greek Gods and Goddesses, it is no wonder that so many of these figures are used as team mascots.

Some examples are listed below of schools mascots inspired by Greek Gods or Goddesses:

• Athena, for instance, is the female mascot for Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. She is also the Greek goddess of warfare and civilization, as well as wisdom, strategy, and strength. 
• Canisius College, a Roman-Catholic university located in Buffalo, New York, uses the Golden Griffin as their school mascot. The griffin is a legendary creature from Greek folklore that has the head and the wings of the golden eagle, but the body and tail of the lion. This creature is considered in Greek mythology as the king of all beasts. The griffin is also the mascot for the William and Mary Tribe, the official team name for The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.  
• The Pegasus is another creature in Greek mythology that has been chosen as a mascot for a university. Pegasus proudly represents The University of Central Florida. The Pegasus is a creature thought to represent strength and grace, a trait applicable to sports teams anywhere.  
• The University of Detroit Mercy, located in Detroit, Michigan, selected Tommy Titan as their school mascot. A titan is a god in Greek mythology, and made up an entire race in Greek legends. 
• Triton, the son of Poseidon, is a Greek god considered to be the messenger of the sea. Much like his father, Triton did wield a trident, a three-forked staff, but his main utility was his godly conch shell that he blew to either stir or calm the seas. Triton is now also the official mascot for the University of California at San Diego. 

There are also a number of additional mascots that are designed after people like Spartans, Trojans, and even Norse gods such as Thor, the hammer-wielding Viking god.

Then, there are some characters, such as Sparty, who aren't really mascots based on Greek myths at all, even though many believe them to be. For example, Sparty is the overstated depiction of a Spartan soldier who mascots for Michigan State University; he didn't come from a Greek mythology story. Often, these types of characters (that sound like they're Greek myth characters but that really are not) come from other legends or stories derived outside of Greek myths.

Purpose and Naming of School Mascots

There are college universities around the world that use various mascots as representatives of their individual sports teams. The purpose of the mascot is:

• To provide encouragement to the team, regardless of the sport being played
• To increase crowd enthusiasm and provide entertainment for the audience during time-outs and game intermissions

The mascot for most teams is chosen based on the theme of the school or the team’s name, but a mascot isn’t limited to these parameters. There are a number of universities, for instance, that derive their mascots from Greek mythology.