Authored by Bryan Hyde via American Greatness,
The University of San Francisco (USF) has officially announced that its new mascot is the wolf, replacing the nearly century-old "Don" costume following student backlash over colonial history.
The New York Post reports that the school announced Friday that "The Don" - a costumed figure sporting a pencil mustache and a green Spanish-style hat - will officially step aside at the start of the spring 2027 semester.
While the university is completely retiring the costumed character "The Don" ahead of the spring 2027 semester, athletic teams will proudly retain the "Dons" nickname, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The mascot originally honored Don Francisco de Haro, the first mayor of Yerba Buena before it became San Francisco.
The figure sparked widespread debate in 2022 when USF's student government passed a formal resolution demanding its removal, arguing the character symbolized the exploitation and subjugation of California's indigenous people.
SFist reports critics argued that the traditional figure - characterized by a mask, pencil mustache, and a green Spanish-style hat - glorified colonial history and Spanish expansion.
The decision to remove the mascot followed years of student-led petitions and government resolutions targeting "The Don", a Spanish honorific which translates to "of noble origin."
USF President Salvador Aceves described the transition as a natural evolution, saying:
With new leadership at USF and in Dons Athletics, we believe the time is right to revitalize our image and embrace a new mascot, one that is known for its intelligence, endurance and ability to work cooperatively in its pack. At the same time, we will proudly remain the University of San Francisco Dons.
"The Don" mascot (which originally debuted in 1932) is stepping down at the conclusion of the fall 2026 term, with the official rollout of the wolf character commencing at the start of the spring 2027 semester.
The decision sparked mixed reactions across the university community, with several alumni venting their frustration online and accusing the administration of unnecessarily rewriting decades of campus sports history.