Santa Cruz isn't just known for its beaches and boardwalk. It became
world famous for one of its quirky claims to fame as the University of
California Santa Cruz chose to adopt a school mascot that was a bit common in
life, but unusual as far as colleges go. It wanted to be known as UC Santa Cruz,
home of the Banana Slug!
Some of the great colleges are located along the California coast in UC San
Diego (King Tritons), Cal Poly Pomona (Broncos, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
(Mustangs), UC Berkely (Bears), UCLA (Bruins), and USC (Trojans) represent
animals or creatures generally larger than humans in their size and strength. So
where does the lowly Banana Slug fit into the food chain of college life and
sports?
Sammy the Slug makes appearances at sporting events, and even lends his name
to the university’s Slug Connection report, providing one of the most humorous
and fun-loving university mascots that brings chuckles and smiles wherever Sammy
slithers along in his Santa Cruz
home.
UC Santa Cruz has ranked as the nation’s number 1 best campus for
schools churning out smart grads. Add beautiful beaches, great
surf, redwood forests, coastal mountains, Mediterranean climate, and the healthy
environmental ethos, and A-plus sense of adventure, and you have the makings of
a university that highly desirable to gain admission to and graduate from.
It combines academics with a fun environment to provide great balance for
students.
Sammy the Banana Slug was adopted as the university mascot unofficially circa
1981. Five years later a 1986 student referendum voted in the banana slug as the official
mascot of UCSC. People magazine and ESPN championed the cause by giving much
press to UCSC Banana Slug. ESPN called it the "best nickname in college
basketball". The Slug mascot represents the slimy yellow creature indigenous to
the dark, moist redwood forests crowning the campus. The costumed slug gets up
to 20 guest appearance requests per year.
The beloved banana slug logo appears on merchandise sold at the
college bookstore. T-shirts say, “I’ve been
slimed.” Slug mugs, keychains, the Fiat Slug decal, plush stuffed
slugs, and even the Grateful Slug t-shirt supporting
the Grateful Dead band gifted Archives (documenting 30 years of performing) all
offer opportunities for slug fans to support this unique and wacky mascot not
seen at any other university around the globe. slugstore.ucsc.edu
