USCB names mascot character

Sand Shark Nation has spoken.

The University of South Carolina Beaufort’s first mascot character will be called "Finnegan."

Finnegan was the overwhelming favorite in voting by fans, earning 57 percent of the vote, defeating Chomp (15 percent), Thrasher (14 percent) and Sandy (13 percent). 

The four names on the final ballot were selected from nearly 100 fan submissions including more than 50 unique monikers. Students and fans were invited to vote for their favorite online, with more than 350 votes cast.

“We were extremely happy with number of fans who voted and the engagement the naming process generated,” USCB Director of Athletics Quin Monahan said. “There was a definite buzz around campus and on social media, and it was exciting to involve our students and fans in this historic event in the growth of our university and our athletics department.”

Finnegan – who also will go by “Fin”– will make his public debut at the Bluffton Christmas Parade on Saturday. Sand Shark student-athletes also will walk in the parade, distributing free game passes and temporary tattoos featuring the mascot’s image to fans along the parade route. 

The mascot will become a mainstay at USCB sporting events and campus events, as well as community events such as festivals and parades, and will accompany USCB student-athletes when they volunteer in the community.

The mascot character was developed by Street Characters Inc.

This story was originally published December 5, 2015 at 5:30 AM with the headline "USCB names mascot character."