The Oneonta mascot, also known as the Red Dragon, is a symbol of pride and unity for the State University of New York College at Oneonta (SUNY Oneonta) community. The Red Dragon represents the strength, spirit, and resilience of the college's athletic teams and student body. The choice of the Red Dragon as the Oneonta mascot stems from the rich history and folklore associated with the mythical creature. Dragons are often depicted as powerful and majestic creatures, known for their ability to breathe fire and their fearsome presence. The choice of the Red Dragon specifically is a nod to the college's school colors, red and white. Throughout the years, the Oneonta mascot has evolved and taken on various forms.
Red Wins SUNY Mascot Madness Competition
After five spirited rounds and thousands of votes cast, SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras announced Thursday that Red is officially the winner of SUNY’s 2021 Mascot Madness competition and "New York's favorite college mascot!"
Red was crowned champion after besting SUNY Jefferson mascot Boomer the Cannoneer by more than 600 points in the final round of a four-bracket tournament involving 34 SUNY schools.
SUNY created Mascot Madness in 2013 to foster school spirit among students, alumni, faculty and staff throughout the SUNY system. Oneonta made it to the finals in 2015, but this is Red's first time winning the tournament.
Although not able to campaign in person because of COVID restrictions, Red has been spotlighted across the college’s social media and on SUNY’s website throughout the competition. Special content has included a look back at Red’s makeovers over the years as well as a list of reasons Red’s the best, including the fact that the mascot has its own video game, is an avid zipliner and kayaker, and loves getting crowds fired up, whether that’s at a sporting event or new student orientation.
In Round 1 of Mascot Madness, Red defeated Oakie Acorn from SUNY-ESF. In Round 2, Red took on Mo Mustang from SUNY Morrisville and, again, dominated the competition. Round 3 was a closer contest, with Red facing – and ultimately beating – SUNY Adirondack’s Eddy Rondack. In the semifinals, Red faced the toughest competitor yet, SUNY Empire’s Blue the bluebird. Red and Blue were neck and neck until the very end, when Red came out on top by just 14 points.
“It’s been really fun for us as students to vote for Red in each Mascot Madness round and see our mascot advance over all these other schools," said SUNY Oneonta Student Government Association President Gabby Cecere. "Having Red win the whole thing is a bright spot in the semester for us and for our campus community.”
Thank you to the students, staff, alumni and community members who supported Red and voted each day!
Bulletin News
Mascot Madness is back. For the seventh consecutive year, the 64-campus SUNY system is hosting a competition to determine its most popular college mascot.
And Blaze, the fiercest red dragon outside of “Game of Thrones,” is at a competitive disadvantage because the first round of voting coincides with SUNY Cortland’s spring break.
On Tuesday, March 19, online voting will begin as mascots battle, tournament-style, in brackets patterned after those used for the NCAA basketball championships. In the first round, second-seed SUNY Cortland is matched against seventh-seed Fulton Montgomery County Community College. FMCC’s mascot is a pirate named Reggie the Raider.
Starting at noon Tuesday, March 19, until 3 p.m. Friday, March 23, SUNY Cortland faculty, staff, alumni, students and friends can cast a first-round vote for the College’s iconic mascot at suny.edu/mascotmadness.
In addition to instructions for voting and a printable Mascot Madness bracket, the site offers profiles of all participating SUNY Mascots.
If everybody’s favorite flame-throwing, game-winning Red Dragon overcomes the hurdle posed by having an empty campus and sinks Reggie in the initial round, Blaze will advance through the following schedule:
- Round 2 — March 26-28
- Round 3 — March 29 – Apr 2
- Semifinals — April 3-5
- Finals — April 9-11
If you’d like to learn more about Blaze, below is a recent SUNY mascot interview:
If you’d like to learn more about Blaze, below is a recent SUNY mascot interview:
Who are you, where are you from, and who do you represent?
My friends call me Blaze, and I represent the best all-around college on the planet, SUNY Cortland. They call me Blaze because my real name is largely unpronounceable by my SUNY peeps. See, my branch of the dragon family tree has its roots in the Celtic kingdoms of Wales. (My hatch name is Y Ddraig Goch if you want to give it a try) In fact, you may have noticed that one of my ancestors posed for the traditional Welsh flag — carried into battle by King Arthur, and still flown today!
What is your wackiest attribute?
Seriously? Do you have any idea what happened to the last person who called me wacky? I am a fire-breathing, castle-destroying, population-threatening legendary beast of unimagined power. Nobody calls me wacky. I am enchantingly eccentric.
But OK, if you MUST have an answer, people are usually surprised to learn that my shorts are grafted onto my body.
What would your autobiography be called and why?
“Angela’s Ashes.” Angie was the first person to stand too close to me when I sneezed.
What is the biggest school victory/triumph you have been witness to?
That’s a tough one. Nearly everything that happens at SUNY Cortland is an epic victory/triumph.
Who is your on-campus partner that helps you stay on top of your game, the Robin to your Batman?
Without question, that would be President Erik J. Bitterbaum. He’s been great. We’re usually at all the same campus events, and he frequently fills in for me when I’m busy doing important dragon stuff. He loves engaging with students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members, and gives them his full attention. He’s smart, compassionate and level-headed. Which is good, because I tend to get mad and incinerate people.
The other dragon from Oneonta
Me
If you could trade places with any mascot for a day, who would it be and why?
That salamander dude from Oneonta. To show them how Red Dragon is DONE.
Everyone has a good app idea. What’s yours?
Match.com. No, it’s not that lame dating app. Dragons think more literally. With my app, you just strike the icon and flames shoot from your phone.
What one fact about your school do you love to surprise your fans with?
SUNY Cortland has been providing life-changing educational experiences for students for 150 years and is in the middle of a year-long Sesquicentennial Celebration! A century and a half is an impressively long time to maintain that standard of excellence. If you’re human, that is. It’s less than a decade in dragon years. But still.
What is your favorite series to binge watch?
Blaze's cousins from "Game of Thrones"
Um, duh, “Game of Thrones.” Three of my cousins are on it. You know them as the dreaded Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion. But to me, they’re just Danny, Rachael and Vinny. We used to sneak away together during family reunions and devour herds of sheep. Once, Vinny got caught with burnt wool hanging from his teeth. He told his parents he’d just been flossing! And they believed him! Can you believe it! Hahaha … good times, good times.
Should you make it to the finals, what would your entrance song be when you enter the final competition?
“Dragon Age” by Lindsey Stirling.
Did you know that Lindsey performed at SUNY Cortland in 2012? The crowd was so big that the College had to stop admitting people into the venue. So, what did this avant-garde violinist/dancer/YouTube star/dragon-lover do? She performed an unplanned SECOND show THAT SAME NIGHT so she wouldn’t disappoint her fans! Now THAT’s Red Dragon Strong!
SUNY Oneonta’s “Red” Wins 2021 Mascot Madness Competition
Throughout the years, the Oneonta mascot has evolved and taken on various forms. The current depiction of the Red Dragon features a fierce-looking creature with red scales, fiery eyes, and sharp claws. This depiction embodies the competitive nature and determination of the college's athletes.
There are many things at one's college campus that will instill a sense of pride in its students. Surely sports is one of them. As well as arts programs, community events, the campus life experience and more. But what about a school mascot?
Mascots have been around, both in high school and on college campuses, ever since, well, ever since there has been high schools and colleges. A few years back, the State University of New York decided that it would honor the long history of school mascots by having a friendly competition to see which mascot is "#1 in the eyes and hearts of the state's college students.
And SUNY Oneonta loves "Red the Dragon" its mascot for sure.
The Red Dragon mascot, which can be seen at sporting events, parades in town, on logos and tee-shirts, won the 2021 SUNY mascot challenge!
The mascot challenge is now in its eighth year and it grows each year. All SUNY campus mascots compete and it really gets the students involved as they vote online for their own mascot. Even alumni get involved in this fun competition.
Last year's competition was cancelled due to COVID-19. The 2019 winner was SUNY Community College at Columbia Greene. Their mascot is named Rip Van Winkle. Their mascot pays tribute to the legendary "sleeper" in the Hudson Valley (where the college campus is located). This year's competition came down to Oneonta's Red Dragon versus Boomer T. Cannoneer of SUNY's Jefferson Community College.
Congratulations to the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragon and to all who voted for him (her?) in Mascot Madness 2021.
The Oneonta mascot is not only seen at sporting events but also at various campus-wide events and activities. The presence of the Red Dragon serves as a source of motivation and inspiration for the college community. Whether it's at a football game, basketball rivalry, or other athletic event, the Red Dragon can be seen cheering on the teams and engaging with fans. The Oneonta community takes great pride in their mascot and supports the Red Dragon wholeheartedly. Students, faculty, and alumni alike rally behind the symbol, creating a sense of camaraderie and unity. The Red Dragon is more than just a figurehead; it represents the shared values and spirit of the college community. In conclusion, the Oneonta mascot, the Red Dragon, symbolizes the strength, spirit, and resilience of the SUNY Oneonta community. It is a powerful symbol that unites the college's athletes, students, faculty, and alumni. The Red Dragon serves as a source of inspiration and pride, representing the rich history and tradition of the college..
Reviews for "The Oneonta Mascot: More Than Just a Costume"
1. John - 1 star - I was highly disappointed with the Oneonta mascot. Not only was it poorly designed, but it also lacked any creativity. The costume seemed cheap and the character itself was forgettable. It didn't elicit any excitement or school spirit, and quite frankly, it was embarrassing to have as our mascot. Oneonta can definitely do better!
2. Emily - 2 stars - While I appreciate the effort put into creating a mascot for Oneonta, I was not impressed with the final result. The mascot lacked personality and didn't accurately represent our school. It failed to engage the crowd during games and events, and overall, it felt like a missed opportunity for enhancing school spirit. I wish Oneonta would reconsider their mascot and come up with something more memorable and impactful.
3. Mike - 2 stars - The Oneonta mascot was a disappointment. It seemed like a rushed job with no attention to detail. The costume looked cheap and the character was neither appealing nor representative of our school. It definitely didn't stand out in a crowd and barely contributed to any kind of school spirit. Oneonta needs to invest in a better mascot design that can truly rally the students and supporters.