Sorah Emory, Campus Carrier staff writer
Natorio Howard, director of creative services, shared a slight insight describing potential plans to bring the mascot back.
“There might be something coming out about Victor the Viking in January,” Howard said.
Berry’s mascot, Victor the Viking, has been missing-in-action. Victor’s last appearance was Spring of 2023, with Berry students and alum waiting for his return.
Since the creation of the mascot in 1997 following Berry athletics’ rebranding with an official Viking logo unifying all sports, Victor became a part of the Berry community. Although no longer posting, Victor has a Facebook page with a gallery of pictures from when he was active from 2013 up until 2021. It remains unclear whether Victor the Viking’s legacy will be sustained.
Compared to previous seasons, the presence of Victor the Viking at sport and community events has declined to none. Students, especially new students and underclassmen are not aware of the school mascot.
“I didn’t even know we had a school mascot,” sophomore football player Malaki Knight said.
The mascot had previously been an important part of Berry’s sports culture, most commonly being present at Pack the House events across various sports. Students and families enjoyed interacting and taking pictures with him.
“Mascots are a fun addition,” freshman soccer player Laina Engelbart said. “They get people excited.”
Engelbart said that even though they might not be as important in settings like high school, in college or professional settings, they can play an important role.
She added that they can help with advertising and making games more fun for people to watch.
Mascots are consistently associated with crowd involvement and entertainment. Additionally, mascots are an investment.
Typically, mascots are estimated to cost between $6,000 and $10,000, being handcrafted and tailored with customization options for colleges. Because Berry made the investment of bringing Victor the Viking to life, bringing a mascot back would ensure that it would continue to pay off.
Berry’s mascot has not always been the Viking, though. Victor the Viking was appointed the mascot in 1962 after a contest was organized by then-athletic director Garland Dickey to capture the competitive spirit of Berry’s athletics, replacing their initial title of “Blue Jackets.” The Viking has been the mascot ever since and is a staple of Berry College athletics.
Drew the Viking, Berry’s mascot in 1986, is pictured on Berry College’s official Facebook.
At present, the mascot remains out of commission with no clear timeline for his return.