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Quiz about Mascot Madness
Quiz about Mascot Madness

Mascot Madness Trivia Quiz


Test your knowledge and ability to guess about the implausible names and origins of these often humorous, and sometimes embarrassing collegiate icons. Prior knowledge of college mascots is useful but not essential, as generous hints are provided.

A multiple-choice quiz by uglybird. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
uglybird
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
183,233
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
4408
Last 3 plays: Guest 64 (7/10), Guest 136 (5/10), maxwell1979 (9/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. The University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) had only an unofficial mascot from its opening in 1965 until 1981, owing to the school not participating in any NCAA sports. In 1981, when UCSC joined the NCAA, the school president polled only the athletes who would participate in intercollegiate sports regarding the name of the school's mascot. This elite group chose the name "Sea Lions" over the traditional, but unofficial school mascot. The original mascot prevailed in a straw vote among the wider student body and was reinstated. What is now the "official" mascot for UCSC (Hint: the answer has "appeal")? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. The students of Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, are saddled with a mascot that must be awkward if not embarrassing. Some of the college's female students have found it offensive. With which outdated name are the Heidelberg students burdened (Hint: It's a royal pain!)? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. In 1965, the University of California at Irvine students went to the polls to choose their mascot. Which of the following (all of which were on the ballot) was chosen. (Hint: Irvine's war cry is "Zot") Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Would you be sanguine about attending a school whose mascot can shoot a stream of blood out of two of its three eyes? The students at Texas Christian University have a mascot that can do just that! What is this strangely gifted animal? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. "Artie" the Artichoke is the Scottsdale Community College mascot. Although at one time the administration and a minority of students opposed the adoption of an artichoke as mascot, the school's website assures visitors that "Artie" now meets with universal approbation. What type of circumstance does the website indicate that led to the initial adoption of an artichoke as a school mascot? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Arkansas Tech University men's teams have a nickname that might seem to have originated in a comic book, but was actually taken from a sportswriter's 1919 story about a successful Arkansas football team. By which flattering (or perhaps fawning) nickname are Arkansas Tech intercollegiate athletes known (Hint: Think bread)? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Because of their success in Division I NCAA basketball, many have become familiar with the mascot that Wake Forest possesses (or became possessed by). Under what moniker do Wake Forest's teams play? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Which tools are associated with "Grubby", the mascot for the Hardrockers of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (Hint: the students did not choose this mascot)? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Evergreen State College in Washington State is noted for its environmental activism. What is distinctive about its mascot, the geoduck? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Washburn University of Topeka Kansas was founded in 1865. The men's athletic teams are saddled with the first name of the founder of the University. The name has a biblical origin and the meaning, "the glory has departed", is not likely to inspire confidence. Which nickname has been foisted on the hapless students of Washburn University (Hint: Think headless horseman)? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 15 2024 : Guest 64: 7/10
Mar 12 2024 : Guest 136: 5/10
Mar 11 2024 : maxwell1979: 9/10
Mar 08 2024 : Guest 99: 8/10
Mar 04 2024 : Guest 174: 8/10
Feb 27 2024 : Guest 73: 8/10
Feb 26 2024 : Guest 174: 7/10
Feb 17 2024 : realmccoy72: 10/10
Feb 13 2024 : Guest 73: 8/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) had only an unofficial mascot from its opening in 1965 until 1981, owing to the school not participating in any NCAA sports. In 1981, when UCSC joined the NCAA, the school president polled only the athletes who would participate in intercollegiate sports regarding the name of the school's mascot. This elite group chose the name "Sea Lions" over the traditional, but unofficial school mascot. The original mascot prevailed in a straw vote among the wider student body and was reinstated. What is now the "official" mascot for UCSC (Hint: the answer has "appeal")?

Answer: The Banana Slug

A Banana Slug can race 100 yards in a mere two hours. The fearsome slug is known to attack intruders into its territory. In 1992, the Banana Slug topped a National Directory of Athletics' poll as the number one college mascot.
2. The students of Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, are saddled with a mascot that must be awkward if not embarrassing. Some of the college's female students have found it offensive. With which outdated name are the Heidelberg students burdened (Hint: It's a royal pain!)?

Answer: Student Princes

Not surprisingly, in a poll done by Heidelberg's athletic director, students indicated a preference for changing the school's embarrassing mascot. In the quiz author's opinion, a young person might be inhibited about attending a college in a town named "Tiffin", whose student athletes go by the name of the "Student Princes". "Tiffin" is a Provincial English word denoting a light repast between breakfast and dinner (What a provincial American might call "lunch").

The town was named after the first governor of Ohio, first Governor of Ohio, Edward Tiffin.
3. In 1965, the University of California at Irvine students went to the polls to choose their mascot. Which of the following (all of which were on the ballot) was chosen. (Hint: Irvine's war cry is "Zot")

Answer: Anteater

Two members of the school's water polo team initially conceived the name, which was based on the anteater in Johnny Hart's "B.C." cartoon strip. A cheerleader with the improbable name of Schuyler Bassett III, led the successful campaign.
4. Would you be sanguine about attending a school whose mascot can shoot a stream of blood out of two of its three eyes? The students at Texas Christian University have a mascot that can do just that! What is this strangely gifted animal?

Answer: All of these

In 1897, four students prevailed on the newly opened university, which was located in Waco, Texas, to choose an interesting, local native lizard to be the university's mascot. This "lizard" was known as the "Horned Frog". It possesses a rudimentary third eye and has been chosen as Texas's state reptile. Native Americans apparently revered the "frogs", and considered them powerful.

**Bonus Trivia** Texas has no less than 19 official state symbols.
5. "Artie" the Artichoke is the Scottsdale Community College mascot. Although at one time the administration and a minority of students opposed the adoption of an artichoke as mascot, the school's website assures visitors that "Artie" now meets with universal approbation. What type of circumstance does the website indicate that led to the initial adoption of an artichoke as a school mascot?

Answer: A philosophical difference between students and school administrator

According to the schools website, the artichoke became the school mascot as a result of "philosophical differences", and is now beloved. In the early 1970s, Scottsdale Community College officials diverted money that the student council had voted to be used, for eleven scholarships for a local Indian tribe, to recruit out of state college athletes. In protest, the students held an election for a school mascot in which the choices were the Artichoke, the Rutabaga, and the Scoundrel. The Artichoke prevailed. The Arabic word from which "artichoke" derives, has nothing to do with choking.
6. Arkansas Tech University men's teams have a nickname that might seem to have originated in a comic book, but was actually taken from a sportswriter's 1919 story about a successful Arkansas football team. By which flattering (or perhaps fawning) nickname are Arkansas Tech intercollegiate athletes known (Hint: Think bread)?

Answer: Wonder Boys

Amazingly, the Wonder Boys finished third in the National Directory of Athletics' mascots poll, finishing behind only the Banana Slugs and the Stormy Petrels. The Green Terror is the mascot for McDaniels College; the Jumbos are from Tufts; and the Thunderducks hail from Richland College.
7. Because of their success in Division I NCAA basketball, many have become familiar with the mascot that Wake Forest possesses (or became possessed by). Under what moniker do Wake Forest's teams play?

Answer: The Demon Deacons

Wake Forest's original mascot was a tiger. In the 1920s, a school newspaper editor coined the name "Demon Deacons" to describe the school basketball team's spirited play. Since the Battling Bishops of Ohio Wesleyan are a Division II team, presumably the "Bishops" never have the opportunity to wrestle with the demonized "Deacons".
8. Which tools are associated with "Grubby", the mascot for the Hardrockers of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (Hint: the students did not choose this mascot)?

Answer: A pick and t-square

South Dakota Tech has passed on the obvious opportunity to modernize its mascot, preferring the traditional grubby miner image. Perhaps this accounts for the Hardrockers reaching only 13th place in the National Directory of College Athletics voting for best mascot.
9. Evergreen State College in Washington State is noted for its environmental activism. What is distinctive about its mascot, the geoduck?

Answer: All of these

The geoduck is a long-lived, burrowing mollusk. The geoduck is the most massive mollusk known and the geoduck biomass in Puget Sound is estimated to be 500 million pounds. Considered a delicacy in the Fareast, geoduck meat can sell for up to $30 per pound.

The geoduck industry is tightly regulated with a view toward protecting the mollusks, and it is reputedly easier to smuggle heroin than geoduck meat out of Puget Sound.
10. Washburn University of Topeka Kansas was founded in 1865. The men's athletic teams are saddled with the first name of the founder of the University. The name has a biblical origin and the meaning, "the glory has departed", is not likely to inspire confidence. Which nickname has been foisted on the hapless students of Washburn University (Hint: Think headless horseman)?

Answer: The Ichabods

"US News and World Report" chose Washburn University as a "Best College" for 2004. Clearly, mascot name is not given great weight in the evaluation process. Founded as "Lincoln College" in 1865, the school was renamed "Washburn College" in 1868. In addition to having his last name become the name of the college, Mr. Washburn's first name became the nickname for the men's athletic teams and the Washburn family crest became the crest for the college.
Source: Author uglybird

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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