Concordia University Irvine’s athletic teams compete as the Golden Eagles in NCAA Division II and the Pacific West Conference. The university unveiled a comprehensive rebrand in August 2022, introducing new logos for both the institution and its athletics department, along with a new color palette of green and gold that unites the university and athletic brands.[1]
Design and History
In August 2022, Concordia University Irvine launched a university-wide rebrand as it neared its 50th anniversary. The athletics department adopted the name “Golden Eagles,” a change from the previous “Eagles” nickname, and introduced a new primary logo featuring a new mascot mark.[2] The university explained that the name change helped tie the university brand and athletic brand more closely together and differentiated Concordia from its NCAA Division II competitors.[3]
The rebrand also addressed a mascot problem: another institution in the region used an eagle as its mascot, and there were few bald eagles near the Irvine campus. The new Golden Eagle mascot aligned the institution with the local bird population and with the unified green and gold color scheme.[4]
The primary “Concordia Golden Eagles” logo with the new mascot mark became the primary logo for CUI Athletics. Variations of a new “CUI” logo and the words “Golden Eagles” appear on uniforms, along with team-specific logo variations using the three primary colors of dark green, collegiate gold, and white.[2]
The university’s official press release described the athletic marks as “bold, forward, and confident,” in contrast to the distinguished and classical academic imagery that recalls Concordia’s Lutheran heritage and Christian commitment.[1]
Meaning and Symbolism
According to the official athletics style guide, the three points behind the eagle’s head represent the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the university’s dedication to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.[5]
The athletics department noted that golden eagles are known to be loyal, territorial, and extremely fast, and are most notably found in Western North America. Compared to humans, golden eagles have superior eyesight and can deftly use their talons as powerful birds of prey.[2]
Typography and Design
The new primary font for CUI Athletics is Prometo Bold Italic, which replaced the Leawoodscef font used in past years.[2]
The university’s style guide notes that Concordia was in the process of transitioning the athletics brand name from Eagles to Golden Eagles, and that there may have been instances where “Eagles” had yet to be replaced with “Golden Eagles.”[6]
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.
