Friday, Sep 2, 2016
Students, alumni, faculty and staff can participate to make history and win prizes
by Adam Grybowski
For almost six decades the Rider Bronc has cheered on the University’s athletic teams without a name. That’s set to change this semester.
Students, alumni, faculty and staff have the chance to name Rider’s mascot by submitting their suggestion to [email protected]. Participants are asked to send, in addition to a name suggestion, the reason why they think it’s a good name for the Bronc, along with their name and designation as alumni, faculty, staff or student.
“Our fans and the entire Rider community take a lot of pride in the Bronc, who always injects a sense of fun and inspiration at games and events around the University,” says Karin Torchia, associate director of athletics for external operations and development and senior women's administrator. “This is a great opportunity for students, alumni, faculty and staff to come together and infuse some school spirit and history into selecting the best name for our mascot.”
The top five names for the #NameTheRiderBronc contest will be revealed at Cranberry Fest on Sept. 17. Final voting will then take place through Oct. 7. Students, faculty and staff can submit their vote on Bronc Nation, the University’s new online campus engagement tool provided by the Student Government Association.
The winning name will be announced during Midnight MAACness on Friday, Oct. 14. Prizes include an iPad Mini, Rider gear, tickets to MAAC men’s basketball championship game and Papa John’s Pizza.
“It's a no-brainer that a mascot is essential for school spirit. That's why we want the community to have fun and embrace the Bronc,” says Ryan Hopely, president of the Rider University Student Government Association. “By giving it a name, we hope to amp up that pride like never before.”
Although Rider was founded in 1865, it wasn’t until the 1928-29 school year that what was then called Rider College adopted a nickname. Coach Clair Bee, an accounting professor who also founded the varsity athletics program, created a Rough Rider hanging on to a bucking bronco as Rider's first athletics logo. Over the next few decades, the nickname evolved, with the Rough Rider eventually giving way to the Bronc. The logo went through various permutations before its current version was adopted in 2007.
The contest to name The Bronc is sponsored by Rider University Student Government Association, the Athletics Department, Barnes & Noble College, and Campus & Community Engagement.