The Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes are the intercollegiate athletic teams of California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), competing in NCAA Division II as members of the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The university’s official colors are blue and black, with the athletic department also using gray and white as secondary options. The department has increasingly branded itself as the “Yotes” since 2019.
Design and History
On October 3, 2011, CSUSB Athletics unveiled a new coyote logo designed by Jim Ward, as documented in the university’s “Building the Coyote Legacy” history archive. The archive identifies Ward as the creator of the digital logo and lists California State University, San Bernardino as the rights holder. [1]
In August 2019, the athletics department began rolling out the “Yotes” brand. In August 2020, the department fully released the Yotes logo along with an updated coyote head mascot that replaced all gray elements with white. Since that time, the athletics department has referred to itself primarily as the Yotes, though both names remain in use. [2]
The university’s official school colors policy states that the original colors of blue and brown were changed to blue and black in 1996. Pantone 300 is the official shade of blue used in the university logo and seal, and can be referred to as “Coyote Blue.” Black, gray (60% shade of black or silver), and white are optional secondary colors in the primary color palette. [3]
CSUSB’s mascot history predates the current athletic identity. Students originally selected the St. Bernard as the campus mascot in 1966, but after years of debate, President Anthony H. Evans officially approved the coyote as the mascot on February 22, 1984. The mascot was named Cody in May 1998 following a campus-wide naming contest. [4]
In December 2022, CSUSB Athletics launched a redesigned website in partnership with SIDEARM Sports. The department stated its desire was to “boldly claim the Yotes, enhance our graphics and brand, elevate our storytelling platform,” indicating a continued emphasis on the Yotes identity in its visual presentation. [5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The coyote mascot was chosen to represent the campus and its surrounding areas, as students argued the coyote was more representative of the region than the St. Bernard. A 1973 student referendum vote favored the coyote overwhelmingly, though the administration discounted the results because the vote was not officially sponsored by student government. The coyote was ultimately adopted in 1984 after an ad hoc committee was created by President Evans and a formal vote was conducted. [4]
The term “Coyote Blue” was added to the official school colors policy in 2020, bringing a unique name to Pantone 300 specific to the university. This tied into the desire for school spirit and identity highlighted during the research and writing of the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan. [3]
Typography and Design
CSUSB maintains an Athletics Brand Manual that demonstrates how to correctly use athletic logos and branding. The manual is designed to guide consistent use across all athletic communications, including uniforms and apparel. Athletics marks are reserved for Athletics use only and are not openly available for download; access requires contacting Athletics Marketing and Communications. Some athletic marks are also deemed university spirit marks and are available for download with other CSUSB logos. [6]
All athletics logos and wordmarks are listed among CSUSB’s official trademarks, along with the university names “California State University, San Bernardino,” “Cal State San Bernardino,” “CSUSB,” and “Coyotes.” [7]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
