USCB getting first-ever mascot character; list of names whittled to four

The University of South Carolina Beaufort's first official Sand Shark character will be named Finnegan (Fin), Chomp, Sandy or Thrasher, the athletic department said in a news release Tuesday.

The winning name will be announced Friday, a day before the mascot's first scheduled public appearance at the Bluffton Christmas Parade. Students and fans are invited to vote for their favorite moniker at uscbathletics.com/mascotvote. The deadline is Wednesday at 11 p.m.

USCB students and fans submitted nearly 100 names after the school revealed an image of its new mascot character last week and asked supporters for suggestions.

Athletics Director Quin Monahan said the task of paring the list to just four wasn't easy, “but we feel all of these finalists represent great potential names for our first mascot character.” School officials, Monahan added, are excited about giving Sand Shark Nation an opportunity to help them select the winning name and “be a part of this special event in USCB’s history.”

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 3:22 PM with the headline "USCB getting first-ever mascot character; list of names whittled to four."