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Indiana's bison mascot returns after 56-year hiatus

Browning Headshotby: Zach Browning07/15/25ZachBrowning17
Hoosier the Bison
Photo via Indiana University Athletics

After more than five decades on the sidelines, Indiana is bringing back a long-retired campus figure. Hoosier the Bison, IU’s former mascot, will make his public return Aug. 30 at the Hoosiers’ football season opener against Old Dominion at Memorial Stadium.

The reintroduction marks the end of a 56-year absence for the bison, who last appeared in costume in 1969. The university officially announced the mascot’s return Monday, describing Hoosier the Bison as a symbol of “spirit, passion, tradition, unity and success.”

The revival follows a push by student leaders, who passed the “Bring Back the Bison Act” through the Indiana University Student Government in December 2024. The measure reaffirmed the bison as IU Bloomington’s official mascot and called on the athletics department to bring it back to life.

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IU officials cited the bison’s deep historical ties to both the university and the state of Indiana.

“The state of Indiana and the bison have been linked for more than two centuries,” the university said in a release. “The bison has been used as an Indiana symbol longer than Indiana has been a U.S. state.”

The animal first appeared on official court documents in 1801, 15 years before Indiana became the 19th U.S. state. It remains a prominent figure on the Indiana state seal.

The bison was initially introduced as IU’s mascot in 1965, following a campaign led by the Student Athletic Board. Students originally proposed purchasing a live bison, but the idea was rejected by university and state officials. Instead, a costumed version made its debut at the Old Oaken Bucket football game that fall.

Over the next four seasons, the mascot appeared at football games, including IU’s 1967 Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl appearance. However, challenges with the costume and declining student enthusiasm led to the mascot’s retirement after the 1969 season.

Despite its official absence from IU Athletics, the bison remained a familiar symbol around Bloomington.

Nick’s English Hut, a popular restaurant near campus, adopted a version of the bison in its logo during the 1960s. The animal also appears on the university’s official coat of arms and has long served as the namesake for the IU Army ROTC Bison Battalion.

Football teams under coach Bill Mallory in the 1980s and 1990s wore bison-themed helmet stickers, and in recent years, a bison character has been featured at campus events like the Little 500 and College of Arts and Sciences activities.

The IU Marching Hundred band will also debut new uniforms this fall featuring silver buttons engraved with the Indiana state seal — including its signature bison.

IU football coach Curt Cignetti offered his support for the mascot’s return.

“I love the bison,” Cignetti said in May. “I love it.”

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Hoosier the Bison will make his first public appearance when the Hoosiers take the field against Old Dominion on Aug. 30. While “Hoosiers” remains the school’s official nickname, the bison will now serve as the official mascot of the Bloomington campus.

IU Athletics said more details — including appearances and official merchandise — will be announced in the coming weeks. Hoosier the Bison will also have a presence on social media platforms X and Instagram.

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