The most memorable part of the Nov. 1 football game against Georgia Tech was the resounding victory and subsequent rushing of the field by hordes of students, fans and alumni. The Wolfpack pride was only bolstered by the ongoing celebration of the 50th anniversary of the University’s female mascot, Ms. Wuf. 

Paul Garcia is the conductor of Athletic Bands and Wind Ensemble, among many other roles within the music department. He said the game was already high-energy, with Homecoming at the Carter-Finley Stadium. 

“We were excited to celebrate all things Ms. Wuf that day, as well as Homecoming. It’s great seeing a lot of former members from the marching band, as well as other people who have come back for Homecoming. It’s a really nice atmosphere,” Garcia said.

The band had prepared a memorable halftime show for the Homecoming game in celebration of Ms. Wuf’s legacy.  Color guard choreographers, Amanda Roediger and Lindsay Chiodo, worked with Colby Vasquez, assistant director of bands, to arrange three songs for the band to perform in honor of Ms. Wuf. 

Mark Whitfield, a former member of the Power Sound of the South and current director of Athletic Bands at High Point University, arranged the music for “When A Man Loves A Woman” by Michael Bolton. The song, in honor of the celebrated relationship between Mr. and Ms. Wuf over the years, was accompanied by a slideshow of their best photos, compiled by former Ms. Wuf, Rachel Fenton. 

“Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder was played as a tribute to the beloved Ms. Wuf. Throughout the show, the band spelled out Ms. Wuf’s name, as well as the shape of her iconic bow, Mr. Wuf’s hat and a heart.

“I see, over the years, the way that our mascots interact with fans and what they bring to the table,” Garcia said. “You see people light up and get excited when they see Ms. Wuf. Small children or an 80-year-old grandmother, it doesn’t matter the age. It’s like Ms. Wuf transcends that.” 

Finally, the band blasted “Hey Baby,” a gameday staple. Continuing with tradition, Garcia surrendered his post and let Ms. Wuf conduct the band.

“The band sang and played for her, and I think it was a fitting tribute to one of our great mascots,” Garcia said.

When Garcia found out it was Ms. Wuf’s 50th anniversary this year, he was determined to put on a show to celebrate appropriately. He said the mascot is a vital part of NC State’s welcoming environment, positive public image and overall history. 

Tim Peeler, communication strategist for the University, said it took a lot of trial and error to settle on the iconic wolfpack image and mascots. 

In November of 1895, after many uncoordinated changes among different sports teams, NC State adopted its iconic red and white colors. The term “Wolfpack” was first used to describe the football team in 1921, and it was officially adopted in 1947. 

Throughout the 1950s, cheerleaders and marching band members wore makeshift wolf costumes. The first formal mascot was introduced by the cheerleading squad in the 1960s. 

In 1975, in tandem with the introduction of women’s athletics at NC State, Ms. Wolf was created. NC State was among the first universities to have both a male and female mascot. 

In 1982, Mr. and Ms. Wolf was changed to Wuf. Debuting a new costume, Wolf did not fit so it was changed to Wuf.

Since then, the pair of mascots has become inseparable from NC State’s public image, a nationwide powerhouse in both men’s and women’s athletics. 

“It’s one of our greatest marketing tools to have those mascots at various places all over Raleigh and North Carolina, when they have the opportunity to go travel and certainly within all of our stadiums as our athletic teams compete in various things,” Peeler said.

Mr. and Ms. Wuf howl during the announcement of starting lineups at the game versus Florida State on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2018 in PNC Arena. The Wolfpack beat Florida State 92-72.

(Sarah Cochran)Despite being married to Mr. Wuf on Feb. 28, 1981, she has maintained her title as Ms. As a symbol to students, Ms. Wuf has proven to be independent and joyful.

“That’s a great identity for women who come to NC State to have. For little girls to see, but also college students,” Peeler said.

Peeler said football is a great uniting force for all types of people who might celebrate NC State, like current and prospective students, families, alumni and community members. 

“It is a great binding of multiple generations, multiple cultures and everything that’s centered around NC state and what the university represents as a whole: Coming from the state of North Carolina, being a diverse group of people with different interests from different backgrounds and cultures and coming together to celebrate NC State,” Peeler said.

To learn more about the history of mascots and sports branding at NC State, check out this timeline made by University Libraries.