Students pick "Colbert" as mascot monicker

In a campus-wide revote, UW-L students said they want to see the school's mascot named "Colbert" after Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert.

The referendum, which attracted 3,161 votes, was the second vote by UW-L students on the mascot name. The first resulted in a win for "Eddie."

But the National Rifle Association, which has an educational mascot by the same name, informed UW-L in a legal notice that the trademark will not be released and a new name was required.

UW-L senior Jack Temple began a petition after Eddie's rejection to name the mascot "Colbert." The Comedy Central faux pundit has campaigned to have famous things named after him, including a module on the International Space Station.

"Colbert" drew 44 percent of the vote, with 1408 total votes. In a distant second was "Ernie," drawing only 14 percent. "Colbert" joined the top five names from the first referendum after Temple's petition, whose Facebook group has 757 members.

"The people have spoken," said Chancellor Joe Gow in an all-campus email giving the final green light to the new name.

"On behalf of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse I am delighted to formally approve this choice."

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