Feb 20, 2026 - Education Brief

Virginia's public colleges and their mascots

Karri Peifer

The school mascots for ODU, VCU, Tech, UVA, Mason and JMU — Just some of Virginia schools' mascots. Photos: Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire; G Fiume; Ezra Shaw; Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire; Mitchell Layton; and Bobby McDuffie/Icon Sportswire all via Getty Images

Virginia's public universities boast a wide array of wacky characters that serve as school mascots.

Why it matters: We may not have anything as weird as Evergreen State's burrowing clam or the literal Banana Slug at UC Santa Cruz, but we do have a kangaroo, a Highlander, a Spartan and a Trojan.

And we're betting you didn't know all of them, so now you do.

🦅 🦁William & Mary: Reveley the Griffin.

🫡 Christopher Newport University: Captain Chris.

🇺🇸 George Mason: The Patriot.

🐶 JMU: Duke Dog.

🐴 Longwood: Elwood the horse.

🇬🇷 Norfolk State University: Spiro the Spartan (often referred to as Mr. Spartan).

🦁 Old Dominion: Big Blue — an anthropomorphic lion.

🧔Radford: The Highlander.

🦅 Mary Washington: Sammy D. Eagle.

⚔️ UVA: The Cavalier.

🐏 VCU: Rodney the Ram.

🦘 VMI: Moe the Kangaroo — represents the Keydets.

🦃 Virginia Tech: The HokieBird.

🇹🇷 VSU: Trojans.

Education Brief

Virginia's public colleges and their mascots

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