River Otter Makes a Big Splash as New Mascot

Following an extensive, community-wide process, Lewis & Clark has announced that the river otter will be its new mascot. The school solicited nominations from all of its students, alumni, and employees last spring, then invited them to participate in a robust process of ranked choice voting in September. The river otter emerged as the top choice for all constituents: students, alumni, and employees.

Why River Otters Rule

The river otter is known for being smart, scrappy, and full of joy. Collaboration and navigating challenges with grit and creativity are among its outstanding qualities. River otters bring both spirit and substance: they are playful, a little goofy, and undeniably cute, but they are also deeply committed to teamwork and are fierce when the situation demands.

The river otter’s commitment, nonconformity, optimism, and other notable traits resonated with the L&C community.

“The excitement on campus around voting has been amazing to witness,” notes Ben Meoz, vice president of student life and dean of students. During the school’s annual Student Engagement Extravaganza (SEE) Fair, students flocked to the mascot booth to pick up free stickers promoting their favorite mascot finalists. The undergraduate Associated Student Body hosted a mascot-themed trivia night. Students interviewed each other about the merits of various mascot options. And members of L&C’s nationally renowned speech and debate team held an impassioned and entertaining head-to-head debate about the merits of each mascot finalist.

“The choice is otterly obvious,” argued student debater Keida Glidden. “L&C students are creative, curious, and caring. We live in tight-knit communities that allow us to make meaningful impacts. Otters embody characteristics that we want to be associated with our student culture.” And, Glidden noted, “Otters are kind of local celebrities. They live right here in the Pacific Northwest and play an important role in keeping our ecosystem alive. They have an impact while also being fierce, something that we want to bring into athletic competition.”

The Mascot Rollout

Lewis & Clark Athletics is especially excited for the transition to a new mascot. To allow student-athletes and coaches to remain focused on competition, teams currently in season will continue to compete under the Pioneers name until the conclusion of their fall schedules. Winter teams will begin their upcoming seasons as the River Otters. Starting next year, every Lewis & Clark varsity program will compete under the River Otters name.

A visual representation of the new mascot is expected in early 2026.

Mascot Selection Process Athletics