Aggie (Mascot)
| Aggie | |
|---|---|
| University | North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University |
| Conference | MEAC |
| Origin of name | Diminutive form of the word Agricultural used to describe students of Agricultural colleges |
| First seen | Fall 1984 |
| Related mascot(s) | Agatha |
Aggie, sometimes referred to as the Aggie Dawg or Aggie Dog, is the official mascot of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, a historically black college in Greensboro, North Carolina. Aggie can be seen representing the North Carolina A&T athletic teams on the sideline of football games at Aggie Stadium and at Corbett Sports Center during basketball games. Although the physical representation of the athletic teams is a bulldog, the term "Aggie" has a historical connection to the university's agricultural roots as a land grant university.
The earliest known mascot at A&T dates back to the late 1970s. While live bulldog mascots were used on and off for the next several years, it was decided that an anthropomorphized version, as the one on the university logos at the time, would be a better fit. Over the years the face of Aggie has changed, but the basic concept of a clothed two-legged bulldog remained the same. There have been 12 official Aggie dogs in the school's history, with the first making his appearance in the fall of 1984.
The term Aggie is a diminutive form of agricultural, which has long been used to refer to students who attend agricultural schools. Upon its founding as a land grant university in 1891, the school, then the Agricultural and Mechanical School for the Colored Race, adopted the nickname. According to oral history, the origin of the Aggie Bulldog mascot stems from a tale of a shepherd dog, a bulldog, that was kept on the college's farm to assist in herding the cattle and other animals into shelter. During a football game the Aggies had become despondent. In the last few minutes of the game, an Aggie fullback broke through the opposition's defense and scored a touchdown, but was deemed no good by a referee. It is said that at that moment, an unidentified person untied the bulldog which then attacked the referee. The incident was said to almost cost the school its membership in the CIAA, but it vindicated the Aggies. It is said that from that day on, the mascot for the football team has been a bulldog.
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