Era II: Rocky the Lion (2000-2007)
“I wanted Rocky to always kind of be that school spirit piece to where if he was a student, who could I interact on the daily basis with them?”
-Brandon Berns
Rocky the Lion (portrayed by Brandon Berns, class of ‘07) was modeled after a male African lion. He had feet, a bodysuit, gloves made of light brown faux fur, and a mesh green Rock Pride shirt. His head featured a yellow mane and a mouth open in a permanent roar.
By the late 1990s, the university community felt a desperate need for a new mascot that was not an attempt at a rock. Athletic Director Paul Lueken and a committee of alumni, student athletes, and campus leaders decided to push the new idea of Rock Pride and introduce a new mascot with it. What animal better represents pride than a lion? The committee modeled the new mascot design after the lion statues on the Stoner West building and purchased a mascot from a costuming store. Rocky the Lion debuted in 2000 and was always on the move, interacting with students and kids. Unfortunately, Rocky the Lion did not reach the same popularity as Rocky the Rock. Not only did the costume wear out quickly, but many older alumni did not like it, and the nickname “scary Rocky” spread around the campus community. Rocky the Lion did not have an extended stay at Slippery Rock. Still, it left many memories for the students who attended the University during the early 2000s. Rocky the Lion can be found in the Slippery Rock University Archives.
*VIDEOS*