Rex the Lion
From From the
150 Stories of Queens
A faculty/staff committee was formed in the fall of 1988 to request student suggestions for an official mascot and/or team name. At the time, the proposed mascots varied wildly. One idea was to use "an indigenous campus species" - the Grey Squirrels. These critters were known for their accuracy in hurling nuts at students strolling across campus, and some students even argued their accuracy would inspire student athletes.
Based on the responses, however, the committee narrowed the list down to the Knights, Sting and Royals. Students were then asked to vote for one of these. Dr. Wireman, true to his reputation of always listening to the students, thought it best to take a step back and allow more student involvement.
Athletic Director Dale Layer then put together a forum to solicit input. Approximately 25 female students attended who wanted a voice in the process. These students banded together and pushed hard for a new mascot - the Griffins. As a result, two new choices were added to the list of finalists - the Bees and the Griffins, and once again students were asked to vote.
The final results were Royals, Sting and Griffins, in that order. The committee brought in an artist to provide ideas of what the Royals might look like. After reviewing several options, a near consensus was reached, with a lion being selected as the official Royals mascot. The unveiling happened at a large outdoor party during the spring term. The students were satisfied with the process. The Royals nickname and lion mascot were embraced, and a new chapter was written in Queens' history.
