The Houston Cougars are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Houston. The university’s visual identity centers on an interlocking “UH” monogram, a mark that first appeared in the 1930s and was worn by the 1935 UH ice hockey team. The scarlet red and albino white color scheme has remained constant throughout the logo’s evolution. [1]
Design and History
The Cougars nickname traces to John R. Bender, a former Washington State head football coach who became a physical education instructor at Houston in the 1920s. Bender coached a volunteer student football squad and named them the Cougars after his Washington State team, a name that was later adopted by the university’s athletics teams and student newspaper. [2]The University of Houston’s logo history is documented by the university itself. The first known Cougar mascot logo was illustrated by Carroll Canatella for the Houston Junior College in 1928. The university’s first official logo was an interlocking UH version that appeared in the 1930s. [3]From 1951 to 1962, the logo featured a stylistic cougar stretched as if ready to pounce over the lettering “U of Houston.” In the 1960s, the university returned to an early version of the interlocking UH logo that would become its iconic mark. [3]Between 1996 and 2000, the school used a vintage cougar logo with Shasta facing forward over “Houston Cougars” lettering. From 2000 to 2012, the university returned to the interlocked UH logo with an exaggerated, bolder look. [3]In April 2012, the university unveiled new logos. The Cougar logo received what local news described as a “radical facelift,” appearing more aggressive with larger teeth, while the new UH logo was bolder than the previous version. [4] This 2012 design was a 3D version that introduced a secondary, darker red shade to the official school colors. [3]In 2017, the university removed the 3D beveled elements, returning to a flat version of the interlocking UH logo that remains the primary mark today. [3] The athletics department’s official logo usage guidelines specify that the preferred use of the primary UH logo is the flat version, with the red UH used on all background colors except red, and the white version used only on a red background. [5]Meaning and Symbolism
The official colors of the University of Houston are Scarlet Red and Albino White. These were the colors of Sam Houston’s ancestor, Sir Hugh, and were adopted by UH at the same time as the official seal. Scarlet Red represents “the blood of royalty that was spared due to the timely arrival of Sir Hugh and the blood that is the life source of the soul.” Albino White denotes “the purity and perfections of the heart.” [6]The university’s official athletics color specifications list Red as Pantone 186 and Dark Red (for the beveled UH) as Pantone 188, with Gray as Pantone 421. [5]Typography and Design
The athletics department uses a proprietary font called “Houston bold,” created exclusively for University of Houston Intercollegiate Athletics. Its intended use is as a display font for headlines, signage, and other select applications, not for body copy. [5]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.
