Vote for YoUDee
2012 Capital One Mascot Challenge includes national champ YoUDee
8:22 a.m., Sept. 3, 2012--The University of Delaware’s national champion mascot, YoUDee, has been selected one of 16 mascots included in the 2012 Capital One Mascot Challenge.
Blue Hens fans will have an opportunity to support YoUDee in the competition to decide the Capitol One National Mascot of the Year.
Campus Stories
From graduates, faculty
Doctoral hooding
In addition to YoUDee, the challenge features All-America team mascots Wilma T. Wildcat of the University of Arizona, Cosmo of Brigham Young University, Testudo of the University of Maryland, Cam the Ram of Colorado State University, Truman the Tiger of the University of Missouri, Ms. Wuf of North Carolina State University, the Scarlet Knight of Rutgers University and Sebastian the Ibis of the University of Miami (Fla.).
Also vying for the national title are Sparty of Michigan State University, Mike the Tiger of Louisiana State University, Wolfie Jr. of the University of Nevada, Bucky Badger of the University of Wisconsin, the Duck of the University of Oregon, Cocky of the University of South Carolina and Raider Red of Texas Tech University.
For the first time in the 11-year history of the challenge, fans will be able to vote for their favorite mascots via Twitter. Regular season voting officially opens at noon (EST) on Monday, Sept. 3, and continues weekly through Nov. 26.
The top eight mascots with the best head-to-head records will then compete in a bracket-style, single-elimination competition to determine the overall winner.
Fans will be able to vote at www.CapitalOneBowl.com and on Facebook as well as Twitter. All voting information appears at the Capital One Bowl website.
YoUDee is the defending national mascot champion, having won the top prize at the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) College Cheerleading and Dance National Championships held in January at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
After being selected by Capital One, members of the YoUDee mascot team traveled to Los Angeles to participate in the preparation of promotional materials for the challenge.
“We are thrilled that YoUDee has been named to this select group to participate in the 2012 Capital One Mascot Challenge,” said Sharon Harris of UD’s Office of Communications and Marketing, director of the YoUDee program, “and we encourage UD fans around the world to cast their ballots for the big Blue Hen.”
Harris added, “We want to thank Capital One for sponsoring this challenge, which recognizes the important contributions of mascot programs in promoting spirit on university campuses across the country.”
About the Capital One Mascot Challenge
“We’re proud to announce the new faces of the 2012 Capital One Mascot Challenge as well as honor one of our veteran mascots this year,” said Roger Ferguson, managing vice president of advertising and sponsorships at Capital One. “College sports fans are as enthusiastic about their mascots as they are about their football teams and we’re proud to host a program where that excitement can be amplified. Best of luck to all of the mascots who made the team.”
This year, fans will get a behind-the-scenes look inside the Capital One Mascot Training Camp, a place where mascots become the best of the best. Learning about mascot cohabitation, social media etiquette and everyday manners, mascots attend a series of classes, lectures and challenges to become the best.
The quirky video vignettes will be released at the Capital One Bowl website and at the challenge site on Facebook.
The Capital One National Mascot of the Year will be announced at the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1, 2013, and will be awarded a $20,000 scholarship to help fund its school’s mascot program. Each of the 2012 Capital One All-America team members will also receive $5,000 for their university mascot program.
For fans who missed out on seeing their favorite mascot in the challenge, a “write-in” campaign will be available.
Fans are encouraged to log on to the Capital One Bowl website to vote for their school’s mascot for a chance to be a part of the 2013 Capital One Mascot Challenge.