UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Since 1904, the Nittany Lion has been the “symbol of Penn State’s best.” A century later, he’ll be enshrined along with the best professional and collegiate mascots from around country.
The Nittany Lion will officially be inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame (MHOF) after a year-long competition. Announced today (Nov. 6), the Nittany Lion is one of four mascots who made the cut for the 2018 class of inductees.
After the nomination was announced in October 2016, a public, online voting contest ran through January 2017, when the Nittany Lion was announced as one of the remaining six competitors. The final voting process was completed by the MHOF lifetime voting members and executive committee members, which resulted in the Nittany Lion’s selection to join the ranks of fellow Mascot Hall of Famers.
“A lot of fans look at our lion as a symbol of the University, and they get really excited when they see him,” said Penn State cheerleading and Nittany Lion coach Curtis White, of the nomination. “He’s our celebrity on campus. And, he does a lot of great things in the community, too. It’s a great honor.”