2025 Tournament Challenge guide to team mascots, school colors and famous alumni

The NCAA tournament is full of the usual suspects like Michigan State and Duke, but every year there are new mascots, school colors and fight songs to learn, too.If you are filling out a bracket and need to find inspiration in the team’s traditions or want to know who might be rooting along with you, we’ve researched each school in the tournament to give you all the information at hand, organized by region and seeds, to make it easy to pick them in Tournament Challenge, where you can create up to 25 brackets for free.Men’s Tournament ChallengeSign up now to play the #1 Men’s bracket game for FREE! $135,000 in prizes.Play Men’s Tournament Challenge
Information was scoured from public sources, and some (including student enrollment numbers) might be slightly out of date. We also apologize in advance if we left off your favorite actor/athlete/politician/relative from the list of notable alumni. It was (probably) unintentional, and there’s nothing to read into it. But we had fun with this, and we hope you do too.Ready to play? Sign up for free today!Related links: Bracket facts | Printable bracket | Women’s Tournament ChallengeESPN’s Gabriella Madden contributed to this story.East Region(1) Duke Blue DevilsDurham, North CarolinaConference: ACC | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Blue Devil | Fight song: “Fight Blue Devils”Official color(s): Duke blue and whiteNotable alumni: Adam Silver, Ken Jeong, Richard Nixon, Melinda Gates, Judy Woodruff, Jay Bilas(2) Alabama Crimson TideTuscaloosa, AlabamaConference: SEC | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Big Al | Fight song: “Yea Alabama”Official color(s): Crimson and whiteNotable alumni: Jalen Hurts, Bear Bryant, Jimmy Wales, Dabo Swinney, Harper Lee, Joe Namath(3) Wisconsin BadgersMadison, WisconsinConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: Bucky Badger | Fight song: “On, Wisconsin!”Official color(s): Red and whiteNotable alumni: Phil Hellmuth, Manu Raju, Andy Katz, J.J. Watt, Robert Greene(4) Arizona WildcatsTucson, ArizonaConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: Wilbur and Wilma | Fight song: “Fight Wildcats, Fight!”Official color(s): UA Red and Arizona BlueNotable alumni: Richard Jefferson, Gilbert Arenas, Kourtney Kardashian, Nicole Richie, Kenny Lofton(5) Oregon DucksEugene, OregonConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: The Oregon Duck | Fight song: “Mighty Oregon”Official color(s): Green and yellowNotable alumni: Phil Knight, Kaitlin Olson, Neil Everett, Ahmad Rashad(6) BYU CougarsProvo, UtahConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Cosmo the Cougar | Fight song: “The Cougar Song”Official color(s): Blue and whiteNotable alumni: Andy Reid, Ken Jennings, Mark Rober, Kaskade, Danny Ainge, Mike Leach(7) Saint Mary’s GaelsMoraga, CaliforniaConference: West Coast | Enrollment: Under 5,000Mascot: Gael Force One | Fight song: “On to Victory”Official color(s): Navy, red and silverNotable alumni: Tony Martin, Mahershala Ali, Corbin Burnes, Matthew Dellavedova(8) Mississippi State BulldogsStarkville, MississippiConference: SEC | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Bulldogs | Fight song: “Hail State”Official color(s): Maroon and whiteNotable alumni: John Grisham, Dak Prescott, Buck Showalter, Will Clark, Rafael Palmeiro(9) Baylor BearsWaco, TexasConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Bruiser & Marigold | Fight song: “Old Fite”Official color(s): Green and goldNotable alumni: Willie Nelson, Jeff Dunham, Robert Griffin III(10) Vanderbilt CommodoresNashville, TennesseeConference: SEC | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Mr. Commodore | Fight song: “Dynamite”Official color(s): Black and goldNotable alumni: Dierks Bentley, Buster Olney, David Price, Dinah Shore, James Patterson(11) VCU RamsRichmond, VirginiaConference: Atlantic 10 | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Rodney the Ram | Fight song: “Ram Fight song”Official color(s): Black and goldNotable alumni: Patch Adams, David Baldacci, Matthew Ramsey(12) Liberty FlamesLynchburg, VirginiaConference: Conference USA | Enrollment: 90,000+Mascot: Sparky the Eagle | Fight song: “Fan the Flames!”Official color(s): Red, white and blueNotable alumni: Seth Curry, Nick Foles, Vic Mignogna, Tiffany Espensen(13) Akron ZipsAkron, OhioConference: MAC | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Zippy | Fight song: “Akron Blue & Gold”Official color(s): Blue and goldNotable alumni: Yvette Nicole Brown, Jim Tressel, Keith Dambrot(14) Montana GrizzliesMissoula, MontanaConference: Big Sky | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Monte | Fight song: “Up with Montana!”Official color(s): Maroon and silverNotable alumni: J.K. Simmons, Carroll O’Connor, Lily Gladstone, Josh Barnett(15) Robert Morris ColonialsMoon Township, PennsylvaniaConference: Horizon League | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Romo | Fight song: “Go Colonials”Official color(s): Blue, red and whiteNotable alumni: Wale, Kevin Colbert, Brianne McLaughlin(16) American University EaglesWashington, D.C.Conference: Patriot | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Clawed Z. Eagle | Fight song: AU Fight SongOfficial color(s): Red, white and blueNotable alumni: Nancy Meyers, Judge Judy Sheindlin(16) Mount St. Mary’s MountaineersEmmitsburg, MarylandConference: MAAC | Enrollment: Under 5,000Mascot: Emmit the Mountaineer | Fight song: N/AOfficial color(s): Blue, white and bronzeNotable alumni: Todd Bowles, Susan O’MalleyMidwest Region(1) Houston CougarsHoustonConference: American | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Shasta | Fight song: “Cougar Fight song”Official color(s): Scarlet and albinoNotable alumni: Hakeem Olajuwon, Jim Parsons, Lil Wayne, Lizzo, Fred Couples(2) Tennessee VolunteersKnoxville, TennesseeConference: SEC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Smokey | Fight song: “Down the Field”Official color(s): Orange and whiteNotable alumni: Peyton Manning, Reggie White, Candace Parker, Chris Moneymaker, Scott Kelly(3) Kentucky WildcatsLexington, KentuckyConference: SEC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: The Wildcat | Fight song: “On, On, U of K”Official color(s): Wildcat blueNotable alumni: Pat Riley, Ashley Judd, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis, Story Musgrave(4) Purdue BoilermakersWest Lafayette, IndianaConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: Boilermaker Special | Fight song: “Hail Purdue!”Official color(s): Old gold and blackNotable alumni: Neil Armstrong, Orville Redenbacher, Jim Gaffigan, John Wooden, Drew Brees(5) Clemson TigersClemson, South CarolinaConference: ACC | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: The Tiger | Fight song: “Tiger Rag”Official color(s): Orange and regaliaNotable alumni: Nancy O’Dell, Rob Huebel, James Michael Tyler, Lee Brice, Trevor Lawrence(6) Illinois Fighting IlliniChampaign, IllinoisConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: N/A | Fight song: “Oskee-Wow-Wow”Official color(s): Orange and blueNotable alumni: Hugh Hefner, Jesse Jackson, Dick Butkus, Deron Williams(7) UCLA BruinsLos AngelesConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Joe Bruin | Fight song: “Sons of Westwood and the Mighty Bruins”Official color(s): UCLA Blue and UCLA GoldNotable alumni: Jackie Robinson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Arthur Ashe, Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Gabrielle Union(8) Gonzaga BulldogsSpokane, WashingtonConference: West Coast Conference | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Spike the Bulldog | Fight song: “Go Gonzaga”Official color(s): Blue and whiteNotable alumni: John Stockton, Bing Crosby, Jalen Suggs(9) Georgia BulldogsAthens, GeorgiaConference: SEC | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Uga and Hairy Dawg | Fight song: “Glory, Glory”Official color(s): Red and blackNotable alumni: Michael Stipe, Deborah Roberts, Matthew Stafford, Ernie Johnson, Anthony Edwards(10) Utah State AggiesLogan, UtahConference: Mountain West | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Big Blue | Fight song: “Hail the Utah Aggies”Official color(s): Navy blue, white and pewter grayNotable alumni: Jordan Love, Bobby Wagner, Merlin Olsen, Sawyer Hemsley(11) Texas LonghornsAustin, TexasConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: Bevo | Fight song: “Texas Fight”Official color(s): Burnt orange and whiteNotable alumni: Matthew McConaughey, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Kevin Durant, Janis Joplin, Walter Cronkite(11) Xavier MusketeersCincinnatiConference: Big East | Enrollment: Under 5,000Mascot: D’Artagnan and the Blue Blob | Fight song: “Xavier Fight song”Official color(s): Navy blue and silverNotable alumni: Jim Bunning, James Posey, Matt Stainbrook(12) McNeese CowboysLake Charles, LouisianaConference: Southland | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Rowdy | Fight song: “Joli Blon”Official color(s): Blue and goldNotable alumni: R.C. Slocum, Joe Dumars, Adam Johnson(13) High Point PanthersHigh Point, North CarolinaConference: Big South | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Prowler the Panther | Fight song: “Fight Song”Official color(s): Purple and whiteNotable alumni: Austin Dillon, Donna Fargo, Gene Littles(14) Troy TrojansTroy, AlabamaConference: Sun Belt | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: T-Roy | Fight song: “Trojans, One and All”Official color(s): Cardinal red, silver and blackNotable alumni: Melanie Newman, Lawrence Tynes, Windham “Bray Wyatt” Rotunda, Osi Umenyiora(15) Wofford TerriersSpartanburg, South CarolinaConference: Southern Conference | Enrollment: Under 5,000Mascot: Boss and Terri | Fight song: “Fight Song”Official color(s): Gold and blackNotable alumni: Craig Melvin, Ellison Barber, Jerry Richardson, Chris Robinson(16) SIU Edwardsville CougarsEdwardsville, IllinoisConference: Ohio Valley | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Eddie the Cougar | Fight song: “The Mighty Roar”Official color(s): Red and whiteNotable alumni: Robert Seguso, Gib Singleton, Paul “Big Show” Wight, Kathleen MadiganSouth Region(1) Auburn TigersAuburn, AlabamaConference: SEC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Aubie the Tiger | Fight song: “War Eagle”Official color(s): Burnt orange and navy blueNotable alumni: Charles Barkley, Bo Jackson, Jimmy Buffett, Lionel Richie, Octavia Spencer(2) Michigan State SpartansEast Lansing, MichiganConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: Sparty | Fight song: “Victory for MSU”Official color(s): Green and whiteNotable alumni: Magic Johnson, Le’Veon Bell, Bubba Smith, Dan Gilbert, Geoff Johns(3) Iowa State CyclonesAmes, IowaConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Cy the Cardinal | Fight song: “ISU Fights”Official color(s): Cardinal and goldNotable alumni: Brock Purdy, Tyrese Haliburton, Fred Hoiberg, Jeff Hornacek(4) Texas A&M AggiesCollege Station, TexasConference: SEC | Enrollment: 70,000+Mascot: Reveille | Fight song: “Aggie War Hymn”Official color(s): Maroon and whiteNotable alumni: Lyle Lovett, Rick Perry, Myles Garrett, Granger Smith(5) Michigan WolverinesAnn Arbor, MichiganConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 50,000+Mascot: N/A | Fight song: “The Victors”Official color(s): Maize and blueNotable alumni: Adam Schefter, Tom Brady, Madonna, Darren Criss, Rick Bayless(6) Ole Miss RebelsOxford, MississippiConference: SEC | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Tony the Landshark | Fight song: “Forward Rebels”Official color(s): Red and blueNotable alumni: James Meredith, William Faulkner, Eli Manning(7) Marquette Golden EaglesMilwaukeeConference: Big East | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Golden Eagle | Fight song: “Ring Out Ahoya”Official color(s): Blue and goldNotable alumni: Rick Majerus, Chris Farley, Tom Snyder, Rachel Lindsay, Dwyane Wade(8) Louisville CardinalsLouisville, KentuckyConference: ACC | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Louie the Cardinal | Fight song: “Fight! U of L”Official color(s): Red and blackNotable alumni: Diane Sawyer, Sue Grafton, Tom Jackson(9) Creighton BluejaysOmaha, NebraskaConference: Big East | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Billy Bluejay | Fight song: “The White and the Blue”Official color(s): White and blueNotable alumni: Kyle Korver, Bob Gibson, Paul Silas(10) New Mexico LobosAlbuquerque, New MexicoConference: Mountain West | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Lobo Louie | Fight song: “UNM Fight Song”Official color(s): Red and silverNotable alumni: Luc Longley, Holly Holm, Brian Urlacher, Penny Marshall(11) San Diego State AztecsSan DiegoConference: Mountain West | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Aztec Warrior | Fight song: “Fight song”Official color(s): Black and scarletNotable alumni: Tony Gwynn, Marshall Faulk, Stephen Strasburg, Kawhi Leonard, Herm Edwards, Raquel Welch(11) North Carolina Tar HeelsChapel Hill, North CarolinaConference: ACC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Rameses | Fight song: “I’m a Tar Heel Born”Official color(s): Carolina blue and whiteNotable alumni: Michael Jordan, Stuart Scott, Andy Griffith, Chase Rice, Brooke Baldwin(12) UC San Diego TritonsLa Jolla, CaliforniaConference: Big West | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: King Triton | Fight song: “Triton Fight Song”Official color(s): Blue and goldNotable alumni: Billy Beane, Mike Judge, Milana Vayntrub, James Avery(13) Yale BulldogsNew Haven, ConnecticutConference: Ivy League | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Handsome Dan | Fight song: “Bulldog”Official color(s): Blue and whiteNotable alumni: Ron Darling, Anderson Cooper, Kathryn Hahn, Meryl Streep(14) Lipscomb BisonsNashville, TennesseeConference: Atlantic Sun | Enrollment: Under 5,000Mascot: LU the Bison |Official color(s): Purple and goldNotable alumni: Dustin Lynch, Garrison Mathews, Kelsea Ballerini, Jim Jinkins(15) Bryant BulldogsSmithfield, Rhode IslandConference: America East | Enrollment: Under 5,000Mascot: Tupper II the Bulldog | Fight song: “Bulldogs Fight”Official color(s): Black, gold and whiteNotable alumni: Nicholas Colasanto, Mikayla Nogueira, Tom Kennedy(16) St. Francis (PA)Loretto, PennsylvaniaConference: NEC | Enrollment: Under 5,000Mascot: Frankie the Friar | Fight song: “Hail to the red and white”Official color(s): Red and whiteNotable alumni: London Fletcher, Norm Van Lier, Scott Layden(16) Alabama State HornetsMontgomery, AlabamaConference: SWAC | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Buzzy | Fight song: “Hail, Alabama!”Official color(s): Black and goldNotable alumni: Reggie Barlow, Lil Yachty, Tangi Miller, Tarvaris JacksonWest Region(1) Florida GatorsGainesville, FloridaConference: SEC | Enrollment: 60,000+Mascot: Albert and Alberta Gator | Fight song: “The Orange and Blue”Official color(s): Orange and blueNotable alumni: Faye Dunaway, Darrell Hammond, Stephen Root, Bob Vila(2) St. John’s Red StormNew York CityConference: Big East | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Red Storm Thunderbird | Fight song: “All Hail St. John’s Red Storm”Official color(s): Red and whiteNotable alumni: Mark Jackson, J. Cole, Lou Carnesecca, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Chris Mullin(3) Texas Tech Red RaidersLubbock, TexasConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Raider Red | Fight song: “Fight, Raiders, Fight”Official color(s): Red and blackNotable alumni: Michael Crabtree, Tilman Fertitta, Scott Pelley, Patrick Mahomes, Alexis Tipton(4) Maryland TerrapinsCollege Park, MarylandConference: Big Ten | Enrollment: 40,000+Mascot: Testudo | Fight song: “Fight, Fight, Fight for Maryland”Official color(s): Red, white, black and goldNotable alumni: Larry David, Jim Henson, Boomer Esiason, Stefon Diggs, Dianne Wiest(5) Memphis TigersMemphis, TennesseeConference: American | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: TOM | Fight song: “Go Tigers Go”Official color(s): Blue and grayNotable alumni: Penny Hardaway, Derrick Rose, Isaac Bruce, Antonio Gibson, DeAngelo Williams(6) Missouri TigersColumbia, MissouriConference: SEC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Truman the Tiger | Fight song: “Every True Son and Fight”Official color(s): MU gold and blackNotable alumni: Brad Pitt, Sheryl Crow, Max Scherzer, Carl Edwards, John Anderson, Tennessee Williams(7) Kansas JayhawksLawrence, KansasConference: Big 12 | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Big Jay and Baby Jay | Fight song: “I’m a Jayhawk”Official color(s): Crimson and blueNotable alumni: Wilt Chamberlain, Dean Smith, Paul Rudd, Don Johnson, Rob Riggle, Scott Bakula, Nikki Glaser(8) UConn HuskiesStorrs, ConnecticutConference: Big East | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Jonathan the Husky | Fight song: “UConn Husky”Official color(s): Navy blue, gray and whiteNotable alumni: Ray Allen, Rebecca Lobo, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Sue Bird, Dan Orlovsky(9) Oklahoma SoonersNorman, OklahomaConference: SEC | Enrollment: 20,000+Mascot: Boomer and Sooner | Fight song: “Boomer Sooner”Official color(s): Crimson and creamNotable alumni: Olivia Munn, Ed Harris, Trae Young, Baker Mayfield(10) Arkansas RazorbacksFayetteville, ArkansasConference: SEC | Enrollment: 30,000+Mascot: Tusk IV | Fight song: “Arkansas Fight”Official color(s): Cardinal and whiteNotable alumni: John Daly, Jerry Jones, Pat Summerall, Joe Johnson, Darren McFadden, Tyson Gay(11) Drake BulldogsDes Moines, IowaConference: Missouri Valley | Enrollment: Under 5,000Mascot: Spike | Fight song: “The ‘D’ Song”Official color(s): Drake blue, black and whiteNotable alumni: Michael Emerson, Zach Johnson(12) Colorado State RamsFort Collins, ColoradoConference: Mountain West | Enrollment: 33,648Mascot: CAM the Ram | Fight song: “Fight Song”Official color(s): Green and whiteNotable alumni: Leslie Jones, Becky Hammon, Shaq Barrett(13) Grand Canyon LopesPhoenixConference: Western Athletic | Enrollment: 100,000+Mascot: Thunder the Antelope | Fight song: “GCU Fight song”Official color(s): Purple, black and whiteNotable alumni: Henry Cejudo, Tim Salmon, Kevin Warren(14) UNC Wilmington SeahawksWilmington, North CarolinaConference: Sun Belt | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Sammy C. Hawk | Fight song: “UNCW Fight Song”Official color(s): Teal, blue and goldNotable alumni: John Calipari, Anna Kooiman, Carl Willis(15) Omaha MavericksOmaha, NebraskaConference: NCHC | Enrollment: 10,000+Mascot: Durango | Fight song: “UNO Fite”Official color(s): Red and blackNotable alumni: Jake Guentzel, Peter Fonda, Karrin Allyson(16) Norfolk State SpartansNorfolk, VirginiaConference: MEAC | Enrollment: Under 10,000Mascot: Spiro the Spartan | Fight song: “Fight Song”Official color(s): Green and goldNotable alumni: Tim Reid, JB Smoove, Denise Dowse, Kyle O’Quinn