���챬��

Paws recently got a major glow-up, reflecting the ambitions of Mount Holyoke’s athletics program and the student-athletes.

In February 2024, joined Mount Holyoke as director of athletic programs. Although she was a little hesitant to ask about consideration for a new athletics logo and updated mascot during a time of personnel transitions, she soon found that Meghan Stauts, director of strategic content, and her team of designers were highly enthusiastic.

“I know that Paws has been a beloved mascot, to the extent that alums come back and ask about the mascot’s 1970s and 1980s versions,” Ricketts-Preston said. “It’s a big tradition, and it’s nice to have an updated version that is refreshed for our current students.”

As part of MHC Forward, the strategic plan launched last year, the athletics rebrand will help shore up Mount Holyoke’s student experience and the College’s future. In addition to the rebrand, the athletics facilities are also undergoing major renovations. Visual updates include a hand painted mural, locker rooms with new signage and a freshly coated basketball court featuring the new logo.

“We haven’t always been known as an athletics powerhouse,” Stauts said. “So, on our end, we want to create a space that matches the high level of competition the Lyons are playing at.”

Senior Designer Mikayla Wagstaff started working on the new logos shortly after joining the College. She was thrilled to see her artwork on the court.

“Going into it, I knew I wanted something special and unique to Mount Holyoke,” Wagstaff explained. “Just plopping in a lion wasn’t going to work. I created a custom font; the little peaks on the letters are the ears and the descending points are the fangs. I looked at a bunch of pictures of mountain lions to develop a forward-facing and side-facing lion’s head logo, as well as a paw that could be used as a different mascot.”

Wagstaff included multiple stakeholders from across the College’s marketing and athletics staff in the design process to build out a comprehensive branding guide. This project was unique because it was done completely in-house.

“I was new when starting the project,” Wagstaff said. “Leadership had my back and trusted that this overhaul could get done in six weeks.”

One of the first items flagged: Paws’ previous incarnation was a male lion, even though the Lyons are named after Mount Holyoke’s founder, Mary Lyon.

“We’re a gender-diverse women’s college, so not having a gender-specific mascot is great,” Wagstaff added.

Previously, the mascot wasn’t well known among current students, but now students regularly request Paws to be on the sidelines at games and was a popular highlight of the Laurel Parade.

“Alums are saying, ‘Finally, it’s not a male lion anymore,’” Stauts said. “Paws is a hot commodity at campus events. When we debuted the new physical mascot last year, everyone wanted a photo.”

Ricketts-Preston echoes that sentiment, noting a highly positive reaction from alums, students and staff that reflects a broader excitement and momentum for the future of athletics at Mount Holyoke.

“[President Holley] has set a vision [for] athletics as a prominent piece of the strategic plan,” Ricketts-Preston said. “I would equate the branding guide to those of Division 1 programs. We’re fortunate as a D3 to have this level of depth. I see the students’ pride [in] wearing the logo and their team gear. I joked with a field hockey player that every time I saw her, she was wearing [a] shirt with the new logo.”