Why is UTSA called the Roadrunners? Explaining nickname amid NCAA baseball tournament
Why is UTSA called the Roadrunners? Explaining nickname amid NCAA baseball tournament
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5 men's NCAA baseball tournament players to watch
The Mongomery Advertiser's Adam Cole and The Tennesseean's Aria Gerson break down the top players to watch in the men's NCAA baseball tournament.
Beep, beep!
That's the sound Texas baseball heard last weekend as UTSA entered the Austin Regional and walked away with the title over the weekend in Austin, Texas, to advance to the super regional round of the NCAA baseball tournament. That, of course, is because the University of Texas at San Antonio has one of the most unique nicknames in college baseball.
UTSA will take on No. 15 national seed UCLA in the Los Angeles Super Regional over the weekend hoping to build on what is already the deepest run in the Roadrunners' postseason history.
REQUIRED READING: NCAA baseball tournament bracket: Super regional matchups, schedule, pairings for CWS
Here's what you need to know about why UTSA is nicknamed the Roadrunners and the history of the nickname:
What is a roadrunner?
A roadrunner is "born to run," according to the online bird guide All About Birds. The Greater Roadrunner "can outrace a human, kill a rattlesnake and thrive in the harsh landscapes of the Desert Southwest."
According to All About Birds, it typically inhabits open country, particularly arid grasslands and low deserts. Its range extends as far north and west as northern California and has extended eastward into Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana. It preys on lizards, snakes, mice and birds.
The animal was made famous by its characterization by Warner Bros. cartoon in the form of the "Road Runner," as featured in the show "Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner."
Why is UTSA called the Roadrunners?
According to the UTSA website, the school held an election in 1977 to determine its school mascot. Other potential mascots under consideration included armadillos, stars, eagles, jaguars, puma, toro and vaquero. The names of armadillos and stars actually won the election, but due to a voided election, a second vote was forced.
The roadrunner staged a surprising comeback and won the election to become the school's official mascot. It was introduced at a bonfire rally on Dec. 9, 1977, and officially announced on Dec. 12, 1977.
Four years later, Antonio Gonzalez became the first student to wear the Roadrunner Mascot costume when he joined the cheerleaders in an attempt to pep up the crowd when the university launched its intercollegiate athletics program. On Nov. 24, 1981, the Roadrunner made its debut, "hatching" from an egg during a basketball pep rally. The name "Rowdy" for the mascot is believed to be from the "rowdy" nature of the university's spirit squad, according to the school's website.
What is UTSA's mascot?
Rowdy the Roadrunner has been the school's live human mascot since 1981.
Roadrunner hand sign
Here's how to show off your Roadrunner support during the NCAA baseball tournament, according to the school's website:
Open your hand with your palm facing out and away from you then Curl your first three fingers toward the center of your palm, leaving your thumb and pinky fingers upright.
Your thumb is the roadrunner's head and your pinky represents the tail.
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