1927: Iggy’s Origin Story
Loyola magazine shares how the beloved mascot came to be
Iggy through the years from left to right: 1974, 1982, 1994. Photos courtesy of Loyola/Notre Dame Library
The greyhound has the largest heart of any dog. Anyone who attends a game on Evergreen campus will see how this describes the passion and loyalty of Greyhounds fans.
But before there was Iggy, there were (unofficially) “The Loyolas,” “The Jesuits,” and “The Green and Grey.” That’s because without a mascot, sportswriters had to get creative coming up with a variety of nicknames for Loyola’s teams at the time.
By fall 1927, Loyola students were ready for an official mascot. Proposals included the parrot, parakeet, and grey squirrel. The greyhound was suggested for its agility, speed, loyalty, and intelligence.
It was close, but in the end, the Greyhound defeated the grey squirrel in a student vote. Since then, the Greyhounds mascot has evolved over the years.
Iggy through the years from left to right: 1999, 2003. Photos courtesy of Loyola/Notre Dame Library
“In more recent years [likely starting in 1958], Loyola’s totem has been represented by a human-sized costume. There is on the mask...just the hint of a knowing, insouciant smile—a true representation of Loyola’s continuing spirit,” wrote Loyola’s historian at the time, Nicholas Varga, Ph.D.
Just about a decade ago the Greyhound mascot was named Iggy, a moniker derived from St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Current iteration of Iggy in 2023. Photo courtesy of Loyola/Notre Dame Library
Today, Iggy bolsters Loyola’s electrifying fan experience as he poses for selfies with fans and catapults T-shirts. Catch up with him at a game or look for him on social media, where you never know what he’ll be doing—whether he’s dancing an Irish jig or treating a Loyola shuttle like his own gift-bearing sleigh.