Marc's Distinctive Mascot Collection: Unusual Names for Female Teams



Last Updated: May 12, 2008


This is a page of unusual nicknames used by high schools and colleges for their female athletic teams. I have included a number of unusual mascots from all-female institutions in the main parts of my mascot collection, but this section is dedicated to names that are either as distinctive or more distinctive than the names used for the male teams at their respective schools. The list includes distinctive uses of the female "ette" suffix (e.g. "Thorobrettes"), oxymoronic or contradictory uses of the "Lady" prefix (e.g. "Lady Kavemen"), and other interesting names used by high schools and colleges for their female athletes. Some of these names (and the names for their male counterparts) have already been included in my mascot collection, and are marked with asterisks (**). Other names are new to this site and are found only on this page. I hope you enjoy your visit to this page and the rest of the mascot site.



HIGH SCHOOLS:

Albia Lady Dees (IA) -- The boys' teams are called "Blue Demons."

Alma Airedalettes ** (AR) -- The boys are called "Airedales."

Annawan Bravettes (IL) -- The boys are called "Braves."

Apollo E-Gals (Owensboro, KY) -- The boys' teams are called "Eagles."

Atlantic Trojanns (IA) -- A variation of the boys' nickname of "Trojans."

Atwood-Hammond Rajenes ** (Atwood, IL) -- The boys are called "Rajahs," a term for a prince in India.

Avon Lake Shoregals (OH) -- The boys' teams are known as "Shoremen."

Bethlehem Banshees (Bardstown, KY) -- This name, for the mythical Celtic female spirits who wail to warn of impending death, are used for the female athletes, while "Eagles" are used by the male athletes.

Benton Rangerettes (IL) -- Their male counterparts are called "Rangers."

Berrien Rebelettes (Nashville, GA) -- The boys' teams are known as "Rebels."

Bigfork Vals (MT) -- Likely for the Valkyrie, mythical maidens who conduct the souls of Viking heroes who die in battle to the warriors' paradise of Valhalla. Boys at this school are called "Vikings."

Big Spring Lady Steers (TX) – The boys are named "Steers."

Blackduck Lady Drakes ** (MN) -- A "drake" is a name for a male duck, so this is a bit contradictory.

Bunker Hills Minutemaids (IL) -- The boys have been dubbed "Minutemen."

Burnt River Lady Bulls (OR) -- Yes, this is oxymoronic, as a "Bull" is a male.

Butler Bearettes (Louisville, KY) -- Boys at Butler are dubbed "Bears."

Cadott Hornettes (WI) -- The male teams are known by the "Hornet" moniker.

Cairo Syrupmaids ** (GA) -- The boys go by the "Syrupmaker" nickname at Cairo.

Cairo Co-Pilots (IL) -- The boys at CHS are known as "Pilots."

Cameron Lady Yoe ** (TX) -- The boys at Cameron are known as "Yoemen."

Centralia Orphan Annies ** (IL) -- The boys at Centralia are called "Orphans." The girls at Centralia are called "Orphan Annies," possibly for famed coach Ann Murray, but more likely as a replacement for their earlier name, "Orphanettes."

Chiloquin Queens (OR) -- The boys' teams are called Panthers. The "Queens" mascot was created by a couple of sports writers around 1976-77. The writers derived the moniker from the name of the town and came up with "Chil-o-queens."

Coahoma Bulldogettes (TX) -- The boys are "Bulldogs."

Colorado Rocky Mountain Pearls ** (Carbondale, CO) -- The boys are called Oysters.

Comfort Deer (TX) -- The male teams are the Bobcats.

Crane Cougarettes (Chicago, IL) -- Boys teams at Crane are called "Cougars."

Crosbyton Chiefettes (TX) -- The boys' nickname is "Chiefs."

Dixon Duchesses (IL) -- Male teams at Dixon are known as "Dukes."

East St. Louis Flyerettes (IL) -- The boys are known as "Flyers."

E.E. Smith Bullettes (Fayetteville, NC) -- The boys are known as Golden Bulls.

Enka Sugar Jets (Candler, NC) -- The boys' teams are called "Jets."

Episcopal Academy Lady Churchmen ** (Merion, PA) -- The boys at Episcopal Academy are called "Churchmen;" the girls go by this oxymoronic name.

Fairbury Lady Jeffs ** (NE) -- An oxymoronic nickname, considering "Jeff" is usually a male name; the name "Jeffs" is indeed applied to the boys' teams.

Flora Wolfgals (IL) -- Flora's mascot is the wolf.

Georgetown Lady G-Men ** (OH) -- Here's one of those oxymoronic names...

Grants Pass Lady Cavers (OR) -- The nickname for the boys is "Cavemen."

Greenville-Weston Honeybees (Greenville, MS) -- The male teams are known as "Hornets."

Hanson Beaverettes (Alexandria, SD) -- The boys are dubbed Beavers.

Henry-Senachwine Lady Mallards (Henry, IL) -- Yet another oxymoronic name...

Hollandale-Simmons Devilettes (Hollandale, MS) -- The boys have been dubbed "Blue Devils."

Holt Lady Ironmen ** (Tuscaloosa, AL) -- Anorther oxymoronic nickname...

Hurley Midgettes (WI) -- The boys are called "Midgets."

Jackson Ironladies (OH) -- The boys are dubbed Ironmen.

Kelso Lassies ** (WA) -- "Lassie" is a Scottish nickname for females. The boys at Kelso High are called "Hilanders."

Ketchikan Lady Kings ** (AK) -- Actually, this name refers to king salmon, but "Lady Kings" is still rather oxymoronic.

Killingly Redgals (CT) -- The boys at Killingly are called "Redmen."

King Cove Rookies ** (AK) -- The boys are called "T-Jacks."

Kuna Lady Kavemen ** (ID) -- The male teams are known as "Kavemen."

Lanai Pinelasses ** (Lanai City, HI) -- Lanai's boys are called "Pine Lads."

Laramie Lady Plainsmen (WY) -- The boys at LHS are known as "Plainsmen."

Louisville Collegiate Amazons (Louisville, KY) -- Named for the mythical fierce female warriors. This might be due to Louisville Collegiate's history as a girls' school (They went co-ed in 1972). Boys at the school are called "Titans."

Lowndes Vikettes (Valdosta, GA) -- A variation of the "Vikings" used by the boys' teams.

Loyola-Sacred Heart Breakers (Missoula, MT) -- The boys are called Rams.

Marinette Catholic Central Cavalettes (Marinette, WI) -- Boys at the school are called Cavaliers.

Marquette Redettes (MI) -- The boys' teams are known as "Redmen."

Metlakatla Misschiefs (AK) -- The boys use the "Chiefs" moniker.

Minot Majettes (ND) -- Boys at this school are called "Magicians."

Moshannon Valley Damsels (Houtzdale, PA) -- Boys at this school are called "Black Knights."

Munday Mogulettes ** (TX) -- Munday's mascot for the male teams is the "Mogul."

Nashville Scrapperettes ** (AR) -- The boys are called "Scrappers."

Nativity Golden Girls (Pottsville, PA) -- The boys are called "Hilltoppers."

Nazareth Swiftettes ** (TX) -- The boys at the school go by the nickname of "Swifts."

Newark Lady Norsemen (IL) -- Here's an oxymoronic name...

Northeast Hamilton Trojets (Blairsburg, IA) -- The boys are called "Trojans."

Orangeburg-Wilkinson Bruinettes (Orangeburg, SC) -- The boys are called "Bruins."

Pateros Nannies ** (WA) -- A term for female goats. Pateros High uses the nickname "Billygoats" for its boys.

Pine Bush Lady Bushmen ** (Pine Bush, NY) -- Another of those contradictory entries...

Pius XI Lady Popes ** (Milwaukee, WI) -- Another name that seems a bit oxymoronic...

Pleasant Hill Chicks (MO) -- The boys are known as "Roosters."

Point Hope Harpoonerettes ** (AK) -- Point Hope's male teams use "Harpooners" as a mascot.

Princeton Tigresses (IL) -- At Princeton, the boys are known as "Tigers."

Princeville Lady Princes (IL) -- Boys at Princeville are called "Princes."

R.A. Long Lumberjills (Longview, WA) -- The boys are known as "Lumberjacks."

Revere Lady Minutemen (Bath, OH) -- A contradiction of terms...

St. Albert Saintes (Council Bluffs, IA) -- The boys are known as "Falcons."

St. Cecilia Hawkettes (Hastings, NE) -- The boys are known as "Bluehawks."

St. Mary Catholic Central Kestrels (Monroe, MI) -- A small European falcon. The boys' teams are known as "Falcons."

St. Michael's Lady Horsemen ** (Santa Fe, NM) -- Here's a name that is a bit oxymoronic.

Ste. Genevieve Headhunters (MO) -- The boys are called Dragons.

Santa Fe Demonettes (NM) -- Santa Fe High's boys are known as Demons.

Shelbyville Central Golden Eaglettes (Shelbyville, TN) -- Boys at Shelbyville Central are known as "Golden Eagles."

South Shore Tarettes (Chicago, IL) -- The boys are called "Tars," an old name for a sailor.

Sutton Suzies ** (MA) -- The boys' teams are known as "Sammies."

Valmeyer First Mates (IL) -- The boys at Valmeyer are called "Pirates."

Van Buren Pointerettes (AR) -- Boys at Van Buren are called "Pointers."

Washington County Commanderettes (Springfield, KY) -- At WCHS, the boys are called "Commanders."

Waverly Viqueens (NE) -- The boys use the "Vikings" nickname.

Wells Raiderettes (Chicago, IL) -- The Wells boys are called "Raiders."

West Liberty Belles (IA) -- An obvious reference to the Liberty Bell. The boys are called the "Comets."

West Philadelphia Catholic Burrmaids ** (Philadelphia, PA) -- The boys are called "Burrs," for the rough prickly husk or covering surrounding the seeds or fruits of plants such as the chestnut or the burdock. The school is located on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, which has many such trees growing in the vicinity.

White County Warriorettes (Sparta, TN) -- At WCHS, the boys are called "Warriors.

Wishkah Valley Loggerettes (Aberdeen, WA) -- Wishkah Valley's mascot is a logger.

Yankton Gazelles (SD) -- Boys are called "Bucks" at Yankton.


COLLEGES:

Angelo State Rambelles (San Angelo, TX) -- The men at the college are called "Rams."

Arkansas-Monticello Cotton Blossoms ** (Monticello, AR) -- The male athletic teams use "Boll Weevils" as a mascot, which are notorious scavengers of cotton fields.

Central Arizona Vaqueras (Coolidge, AZ) -- This is the feminine form of "Vaqueros," Spanish for "cowboys."

Central Arkansas Sugar Bears (Conway AR) -- The men's teams are known by the less colorful "Bears" name.

Central Missouri State Jennies (Warrensburg, MO) -- Central Missouri's male teams use the mule as their mascot. The "Jennies" nickname for Central Missouri's women's athletic teams was officially adopted in February, 1974 after the school's student newspaper, The Muleskinner, offered a prize of $50 in a contest to choose a nickname for the women's athletic teams. Cynthia Almaguer of Knob Noster, Mo., Class of 1974, was chosen winner from 34 entries. Almaguer told the contest judges, "The reason I picked the name is because of the obvious feminine kinship of the jenny to our mule mascot. It is a fact that a mule is a descendant of a female donkey -- the jenny."

Clafin Pantherettes (Orangeburg, SC) -- The men are called Panthers.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas (Claremont, CA) -- Named for the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. The men's teams are known as "Stags."

Dakota State Lady T's (Madison, SD) -- Men at Dakota State are called "Trojans."

Delta State Lady Statesmen ** (Cleveland, MS) -- Another oxymoronic name for a women's program...

Eastern New Mexico Zias (Portales, NM) -- The men's teams are known as "Greyhounds." The women are named after the Zia Sun Symbol, New Mexico's distinctive insignia, which originated with the Indians of the Zia Pueblo in ancient times. The figure is composed of a circle from which four points radiate, signifying the Earth and its four main directions; the year with its four main seasons; the day with sunrise, noon, evening and night; life with its four divisions, childhood, youth, adulthood and old age.

Hawaii Rainbow Wahine ** (Honolulu, HI) -- Sometimes also known as "Na Wahine," translated as "The Women." The men's teams are called "Rainbows" or "Rainbow Warriors."

Kaskaskia Blue Angels (Centralia, IL) -- The men are called "Blue Devils."

Kentucky State Thorobrettes ** (Frankfort, KY) -- Their male counterparts are known as "Thorobreds."

Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (Ruston, LA) -- Most likely derived from the school's name. The men's teams use the nickname of "Bulldogs."

Lyon Pipers (Batesville, AR) -- The male athletes are called "Scots." The Lyon women opted to be different, but with a name that would maintain the college's Scottish heritage.

Minot State-Bottineau Ladyjacks (Bottineau, ND) -- The men's teams are called "Lumberjacks."

Montana State-Northern Skylights (Havre, MT) -- The men's teams are called "Lights."

St. Ambrose Queen Bees (Davenport, IA) -- The men at Saint Ambrose use the moniker of "Fighting Bees."

St. Peter's Peahens ** (NJ) -- The men are called Peacocks.

Seminole State Belles (Seminole, OK) -- The men are called Trojans. The women's teams were originally sponsored by the Blue Bell Meat Company, so the teams honored the company by naming themselves "Blue Belles."

Southern California Women of Troy (Los Angeles, CA) -- The men at USC are called "Trojans."

Tarelton State TexAnns (Stephenville, TX) -- The men are known as "Texans."

Tuskegee Tigerettes (AL) -- The Tuskegee men are called Tigers.

Wayland Baptist Flying Queens (Plainview, TX) -- The men are called Pioneers.

Western Illinois Westerwinds ** (Macomb, IL) -- The men are known as "Fighting Leathernecks." The "Westerwinds" name was adopted in 1977 after a contest to find an appropriate name for Western's female athletes.

William Smith Herons (Geneva, NY) -- Hobart College and William Smith College united in 1995 to create one institution. The male athletes are known as the Hobart Statesmen, while the women retained their previous school name and mascot.

Xavier Gold Nuggets ** (New Orleans, LA) -- The men at Xavier use the "Gold Rush" nickname for their teams.


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