Griffin (mascot)

UniversityThe College of William & Mary

ConferenceCAA

DescriptionGriffin

Origin of nameChosen by students and administration in 2010

Griffin

University	The College of William & Mary
Conference	CAA
Description	Griffin
Origin of name	Chosen by students and administration in 2010
First seen	2010
Related mascot(s)	Canisius College Golden Griffin

Reveley, also known as the Griffin, is the mascot of The College of William & Mary. A mythical creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion, it was announced as William & Mary's mascot by President Taylor Reveley April 6, 2010. The Griffin mascot beat out the other four finalists: a King and Queen (dual mascot), a Phoenix, a Pug, and a Wren. The college hadn't had an official mascot since the late 1970s. It was named Reveley in 2018 to honor university president Taylor Reveley upon his retirement.^[1]

The College of William & Mary has a three-century-long history of interaction with the local Pamunkey and Mattaponi Tribes. Originally, the mascot for William and Mary were students that dressed as Native Americans because William & Mary's athletic teams used to be known as the "Indians", which was later changed to the "Tribe."^[2]

In May 2006, the NCAA ruled that the old athletic logo for William & Mary, which includes two green and gold feathers, could create an environment that is offensive to the Native American community.^[2] The NCAA decision irked many William and Mary alumni because Florida State is allowed to retain its nickname, the Seminoles, as well as its American Indian mascot (Chief Osceola) and imagery. The college's appeal regarding the use of the institution's athletic logo to the NCAA Executive Committee was rejected. The "Tribe" nickname, by itself, was found to be neither hostile nor abusive, but rather communicates ennobling sentiments of commitment, shared idealism, community and common cause.^[3] The college stated it would phase out the use of the two feathers by the fall of 2007.^[4]

Due to the changing nature of the athletic teams persona, for a short time, the college's unofficial mascot was a green and gold frog (though it was commonly referred to on campus simply as an 'amorphous green blob') called "Colonel Ebirt" ("Tribe" backwards), which was discontinued in 2005.^[5]^[6]

In 2009, William & Mary President Taylor Reveley appointed a committee of alumni, students, faculty, and staff to helm the selection for a new mascot for the college that could serve as a "unifying, fun figure on campus" as well as making sure that the new mascot "look[ed] good on T-Shirts and in costume."^[6]^[7]

In December 2009, five finalists—including a Griffin, King and Queen, the Phoenix, a Pug and the Wren—were announced from more than 800 submissions.^[2]^[6]^[8]

After announcement of the finalists, there was a month-long public feedback period on the five mascot finalists in which more than 11,000 people completed a survey.^[7] The appointed mascot committee reviewed more than 22,000 comments regarding the new mascot.^[7]

On June 12, 2018, William & Mary Athletic Director Samantha Huge announced that the Griffin would be named Reveley in honor of outgoing President Taylor Reveley, who would retire on June 30, 2018.^[1]^[9]

v t e College of William & Mary
Academics	Affiliate institutions Richard Bland College Schools Mason School of Business School of Education Law School Virginia Institute of Marine Science Programs Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy Publications Theatre Annual William and Mary Quarterly Other Brigham–Kanner Property Rights Conference / Prize Honor code Institute of Bill of Rights Law Phi Beta Kappa Society Public Ivy Scandal of 1951
Athletics	Sports Football (Capital Cup) Men's basketball Women's basketball Men's soccer Women's soccer Baseball Women's volleyball Facilities Albert–Daly Field Blow Gymnasium Busch Field Jimmye Laycock Football Center Millie West Tennis Facility Kaplan Arena Kingsmill Resort McCormack–Nagelsen Tennis Center Plumeri Park William & Mary Police Department Walter J. Zable Stadium at Cary Field Related Coastal Athletic Association Griffin Pep Band Tribe Fight Song
Campus	Alan B. Miller Hall Alumni House Bodleian Plate Brafferton Crim Dell bridge Earl Gregg Swem Library Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved Henry C. Wolf Law Library Lake Matoaka Lord Botetourt (statues) Mason School of Business Library Muscarelle Museum of Art Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall President's House Sunken Garden Wren Building
History	History Firsts Colonial colleges Williamsburg Bray School Matthew Whaley School Christopher Newport University Old Dominion University The Colleges of William & Mary Richmond Professional Institute
People	Notable alumni Presidents Chancellors King William III & Queen Mary II
Student life	Botetourt Medal Bus transportation The Gentlemen of the College Greek life Our Alma Mater Publications DoG Street Journal Flat Hat Virginia Informer Secret societies 7 Society Bishop James Madison Society Flat Hat Club Wren Society WCWM 90.9 FM WMTV
Misc.	Bodleian Plate Colonial Williamsburg Highland I Am the College Rich Neck Plantation Royal Hospital School SS William and Mary Victory City of Williamsburg
Categories: Wikipedia Commons

v t e William & Mary Tribe football
Venues	Zable Stadium (1935–present) Jimmye Laycock Football Center (practice)
Bowls & rivalries	Ivy Bowl Delaware James Madison Old Dominion Richmond VMI
Culture & lore	Griffin Colonel Ebirt Scandal of 1951 "Tribe Fight Song" William & Mary Pep Band
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

v t e William & Mary Tribe men's basketball
Venues	Blow Gymnasium (1925–1971) Norfolk Municipal Auditorium (alternate; 1952–1965) Kaplan Arena (1971–present)
Rivalries	Old Dominion
Culture & lore	Colonel Ebirt Griffin Hershberger Award hoax Scandal of 1951
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25

v t e William & Mary Tribe women's basketball
Venues	Blow Gymnasium (1925–1971) Norfolk Municipal Auditorium (alternate; 1952–1965) Kaplan Arena (1971–present)
Rivalries	Old Dominion
Culture & lore	Griffin Colonel Ebirt
People	Head coaches
Seasons	1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25

Announcement and reception

See also

References

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