Reflections from Elon mascots past and present
Bob Trout ’81
The Fightin’ Christian, 1978-81
“I went to a game [in 1978] and I noticed they didn’t have a mascot. It was kind of boring; people were just so-so cheering. I went to the bookstore the next day and met [store manager] Buck [Bayliff], and he said, ‘Do you want to dress up as the Fightin’ Christian?’ I said OK because I wanted to do something silly. We went to a theatrical place and got a fake beard. We went to a tuxedo place and got tails and a hat. He gave me a shirt that said Elon. The next game I put all this on. … I was kind of hesitant but I ran down and started dancing around and everyone enjoyed it. One of the cheerleaders gave me the megaphone that had ‘Elon’ on it. So that’s how I came to do it.”
Scott Muthersbaugh ’06
The Phoenix, 2003-05
“There was something incredibly special about literally embodying the spirit of the school. It was more fun than it was responsibility, but the weight of what I represented was always on my mind. I appreciated the trust that came with holding the school’s reputation in my red, furry, four-fingered hands. I have my time in the suit to thank for my lifelong friendship with John and Dolores Truitt. … One evening I was the Phoenix for both the women’s and men’s basketball games, and decided to take off the suit between games and say hi. They were immediately accepting of the random, sweat-drenched college kid walking up to them, and we were great friends ever since.”
Gray Aust ’23
The Phoenix, 2019-21
“The few former Phoenix mascots had made a habit of not really leaving the cheerleaders, and I knew I wanted to be outgoing, funny and show some personality. When I first did it, it was back when I didn’t have a handler, so I would just walk around and interact with people. Whether it was taking pictures with donors in the courtside seats or going up to the Sunbrella Club and seeing people up there, I wanted to be a Phoenix that they could take a picture with and laugh before going back to watch the game. A lot of kids are also scared of mascots, so I wanted to be a mascot that was approachable and one that they could give a high-five to or give a hug. … I hope I could make them feel my passion for Elon and the passion for making Elon fans happy.”
The Current Phoenix
Anonymous, 2023-present
“The Phoenix has forced me out of my comfort zone in ways I didn’t know were possible and allowed me to make memories with so many fans, teams and athletes along the way. Being able to kick off this next era in Elon Athletics feels special and like the perfect way to celebrate not just the Phoenix, but my time representing them. Every time I put on the suit, I’m grateful I get to represent Elon in this way. My time at Elon has been the most formative and rewarding years of my life, and getting to represent the university through the Phoenix makes me feel both honored and appreciative.”