SUNY Jamestown Community College has made it to the second round of voting for “Mascot Madness,” an annual tradition that brings SUNY mascots together in a decade-old competition to determine the most popular mascot.
Similar to the annual NCAA March Madness basketball tournament, 32 mascots are sectioned into four regions. This second round of voting began at noon on Tuesday and will continue through 3 p.m. Thursday at suny.edu/mascotmadness. SUNY JCC’s mascot, JJ Jayhawk, faces Perseus the Panther from Purchase College, whose enrollment is nearly 3,300 students.
Jayhawk defeated Baxter Bearcat of Binghamton University by seven votes in the opening round.
“The community support last week was incredible,” said Jayhawk. “We’ve never made it past the first round, and I’m so amazed by last week’s win, I think western New York can come together and get me to the top!”
According to his bio, Jayhawk enjoys basketball and spends time shooting hoops at the Physical Education Complex on the Jamestown Campus. He claims he is better at dunking than Air Jordan in his prime. Jayhawk built his nest near JCC in 1950, when the college was founded and after decades of trying, earned the mascot position 11 years ago.
Voting breaks out as follows:
- Round 2: March 19-21
- Round 3: March 22-26
- Semifinals/Final Four: March 27-29
- Finals: April 2-4
Paula Snyder, executive director of the Cattaraugus County Campus, is thrilled at the community support for Jayhawk and the college.
“What a feat to have advanced to the second round of this game,” Snyder said. “JJ embodies the spirit of the college and anything is possible when you approach it with a willingness to work and a positive mindset. We’re thankful for the community support and hope everyone keeps voting for JJ.”
To follow the contests and vote for JJ Jayhawk, visit suny.edu/mascotmadness.