Fetching Mascot Data... Hang tight! 🐾
Fetching Mascot Data... Hang tight! 🐾
1 school use the "Mapaches" mascot.
Most common states: California (1)
Reviewed by MascotFinder Research Team
Quarterly accuracy check across mascot insights
Data source: MascotFinder School DB · Refreshed regularly
If you're ever at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), you might hear about a unique mascot that almost took the stage: the Mapache, or raccoon in Spanish. This cute and intriguing animal was proposed as a new mascot back in 2018, starting as a joke but quickly gaining traction among students. The idea was to replace the existing Gaucho mascot, which some felt was problematic due to cultural appropriation concerns. The Mapache movement was fueled by memes and petitions, with over 2,400 students signing in support. While it didn't become the official mascot, it shows how creative and passionate students can be about their school spirit ⭐. So, if you ever think of a raccoon in a college setting, you know it's a symbol of fun and change at UCSB 🐦 🐾
Hear how the Mapaches fuels school spirit across the MascotFinder community.
“We count 1 programs flying the Mapaches banner across California. It is the spark that fills the stands every Friday night.”
Casey Kim
California Booster Council
“Per capita, no one rallies like California. With 1 schools per million residents, the Mapaches is part of daily conversations here.”
Blair Brooks
California Local Sports Desk
“Students tell us the Mapaches delivers the perfect animal energy—easy to chant, easy to rally behind, and instantly recognizable on social clips.”
Blair Kim
Regional Pep Collective
Quick answers based on school counts, state coverage, and classification data in our mascot database.
1 school in our database use the Mapaches mascot across 1 state.
The Mapaches shows up most in California (1). Ca also has the strongest per-capita concentration of this mascot.
Schools classify the Mapaches as a Animal and Mammal mascot. Programs note that it is often described as cute.
Elementary programs adopt the Mapaches most often (1 schools).