IU East Mascots

The Indiana University East Pioneers

 When IU East first started in 1971, we offered associate degrees and our athletes participated in club sports. Our biggest club sport at the time was basketball and the team needed a name a new name. Initially, we were called the “Easterners,” but in the fall of 1972, the campus held a “nickname the team” contest where students and community members could submit a name and then the name was voted on by a panel of judges consisting of IU East students, staff, and faculty. From more than 400 entries, five people submitted the name Pioneers for the reason that we were just starting out and that we were “pioneering in the field of education in Eastern Indiana.” The name was announced on November 22, 1972 and we remained the Pioneers until 2008.^[1]

The IU East Red Wolves

In 2007, IU East underwent a complete restructuring in education and in sports, doing away with two year associate degrees and transitioning fully to a bachelor’s and master’s degree granting campus. IU East also finally joined the NAIA, an intercollegiate athletics league. This had been an goal for the IU East club teams since 1972, when the teams hoped to seek either NAIA or NCAA affiliation when growth of the campus allowed. At this time, IU East held another nomination process, receiving more than 165 mascot name suggestions. The list of names was narrowed down and this time public voting decided on the finalist. On April 30^th, 2008, IU East became the home of the Red Wolves. The Red Wolves was chosen because they “represent the spirit and energy of Indiana University East” and because of the wolves’ pack mentality, “symbolic of IU East’s family atmosphere and supportive environment.” The name of our current mascot is Rufus the Red Wolf.^[2]