New Hoguey introduced at GU's homecoming celebration

Published: October 21, 2023

Author: Dave Bell

Though Greenville University has had a panther roaming the sidelines at athletic events for more than 50 years, this weekend’s homecoming celebration marked a new era for the school’s mascot.

A NEW HOGUEY

The latest iteration of Hoguey the Panther was introduced at Friday’s Homecoming parade and made a grand entrance at Saturday’s football game. The new professionally-made suit is a far cry from the hand-sewn one made in 1968 by the mother of the school’s first mascot, Roy Yarbrough. But the tradition launched by Yarbrough back then continues today.

The new mascot suit – manufactured by BAM! Mascots of Ontario, Canada – is predominantly orange, with black trim. Its face is patterned after the University’s panther logo introduced in 2017, and its body is heavily muscled. It replaces the furry black suit (shown below) that has been used for several years and is wearing out.

“I always thought it would be fun to be a mascot,” said the current mascot, a GU student who first donned the Hoguey suit at New Student Orientation activities in the fall of 2022. “From the first time I portrayed Hoguey, I enjoyed it. Just putting on the suit gets me in the Hoguey mindset.”

And, for him, that mindset involves being an animated, entertaining mascot.

“I don’t want to be a boring mascot,” he continued. “I want to create some excitement about the game and represent the school well. I’ve added some props – a unicycle, a mini car, air horns, Silly String, and clothes for Hoguey – and I hope that adds to the atmosphere.”

THE ORIGINAL PANTHER

The original panther mascot made its first appearance during the 1968-69 school year, when Yarbrough, a junior, appeared in a black costume made by his mother. To complete the suit, he wore a $2 plastic Halloween mask that depicted a panther face.

Yarbrough was so taken by the role of mascots in university athletics that he went on to write a book on the topic in 1998 (“MASCOTS: The History of Senior College and University Mascots and Nicknames”). In the book, he presented a picture of each mascot and an outline of its history for several hundred colleges and universities across the country. The following is an excerpt from the Greenville College entry:

“Greenville College’s athletic teams were first called the ‘Gremlins.’ However, it was the opinion of many that a Christian college should not have a demon-like creature as their mascot. Therefore, in 1940, a student vote was taken, and ‘Panthers’ won.

“In 1968, men’s basketball coach Tom Morgan requested that Roy E. Yarbrough become the GC panther mascot. So, with the help of his mom, Yarbrough donned a homemade panther suit and walked onto the court. The crowd went wild as he waved his spirit stick (an old rolling pin), lifted the lid of the spirit can, and frolicked with the cheerleaders.”

NAMING THE PANTHER

Though the panther mascot has been around since 1940, it wasn’t until a few years ago that it had a name. In a contest held in 2015, GU alum Lee Coakley suggested the winning name of Hoguey in honor of Wilson T. Hogue, the first president of Greenville College in 1892.

“At the time, Hogue Hall had just been demolished, and I wanted a mascot name that people would associate with the school,” said Coakley, a 2000 GU graduate who now teaches Spanish at Greenville High School. “It seemed like a solid name, and I was happy to be able to leave a mark at the university.”

GU Athletic Director Tom Ackerman said the mascot plays an important role in generating enthusiasm at athletic contests and other events. “Hoguey has become a staple on campus and is much more present in recent years. A mascot’s role is to create energy and positivity at the events they attend, and Hoguey is an expert at doing just that.”

Stephanie Brant, current director of GU’s spirit programs, said the suit upgrade was needed. “The old suit had some wear and tear from years of use. It had gotten to the point that we couldn’t fix it anymore. The new suit matches our new athletic logo and helps people recognize the school’s brand.”

The current Hoguey said that the new suit will allow him to do a better job of representing the University and creating school spirit.

“If done right, the mascot can be the face and personality of the school,” he said. “I want Hoguey to be kid-friendly, enthusiastic, and a good representative of Greenville University. When my time doing the mascot is done, I don’t want to have any regrets. I want to look back and know that I’ve given it my all.”