BLOOMINGTON – After an absence of 56 years, Hoosier the Bison, Indiana University’s official mascot, has officially returned to the IU Bloomington campus. The university confirmed Monday that the decision to re-adopt the beloved mammal was solidified by the “Bring Back the Bison Act,” passed by the IU Student Body Congress in December.
The return of Hoosier the Bison has been warmly embraced by IU Athletics, which views the mascot as a powerful “symbol of the campus’ spirit, passion, tradition, unity, and success.”
A Deep-Rooted Connection to Indiana
The choice of a bison as the official mascot is deeply rooted in Indiana’s history. The animal has been an integral part of the state seal since 1801, where it is depicted alongside a woodsman. This imagery symbolizes the country’s expansion on the Indiana frontier, which at the time marked the western boundary of the United States.
While Hoosier the Bison is making a grand comeback as IU Bloomington’s mascot, it’s important to note that the school’s official nickname will remain ‘The Hoosiers.’
Public Debut and Future Plans
Fans will get their first glimpse of the revived Hoosier the Bison at the IU football 2025 season opener against Old Dominion at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, August 30. IU plans to release more updates in the coming weeks regarding Hoosier the Bison, including details on official apparel and future appearances.
The Evolution of IU’s Bison Mascot
The journey of IU’s bison mascot is a story of transformations and hiatuses:
The Original Bison Mascot – 1965 Hoosier the Bison was first officially adopted on October 14, 1965. Interestingly, the initial concept was not for a costumed character. Student leaders envisioned the university purchasing a live bison to be housed at nearby Brown County State Park, which would only visit campus on game days and special events. However, concerns from state and university officials about the challenges of keeping a live bison led to the decision to use a student in a bison costume instead. This first costumed mascot debuted just in time for the final home football game of that year, the Old Oaken Bucket game on November 20, 1965.
The Authentic Bison Mascot – 1966-1967 A new bison costume was introduced for the 1966 Indiana Football season. This version featured a more realistic, authentic-looking bison head and was present on the sidelines throughout 1966, as well as during IU’s memorable 1967 Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl seasons. Despite its authentic appearance, the costume’s design limited the performer’s line of sight and mobility, prompting further changes.
The Rose Bowl Bison Mascot – 1967-1969 As the IU football team prepared for its historic first trip to the Rose Bowl, a new bison costume was created. This version maintained similar features but was designed to offer greater mobility for the performer. The new mascot debuted at the January 1, 1968, Rose Bowl matchup against USC. While it continued through the 1968 and 1969 seasons, support for the mascot began to decline, leading to Hoosier the Bison’s indefinite hiatus by the end of the decade.
Gone But Not Forgotten – 1970 – Present Even during its absence, the bison remained a subtle part of IU’s identity. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, under head coach Bill Mallory, Indiana Football teams proudly wore helmet stickers featuring a black silhouette of a bison with an IU trident logo. In more recent years, a bison character mascot has also made appearances at Little 500 races and College of Arts and Sciences events.
Adding to the renewed presence, this fall, the Marching Hundred will unveil new uniforms that include silver buttons engraved with the Indiana state seal depicting a bison, further cementing the mascot’s symbolic return.
