The IUPUI Jaguars, now competing as the IU Indy Jaguars, are the intercollegiate athletic teams representing Indiana University Indianapolis. The program adopted the Jaguars nickname in 1998 during its transition to NCAA Division I athletics, replacing the previous Metros identity. The official athletics website uses IU Indy as the main brand name, with the Jaguars nickname remaining in place.[1]
Design and History
Before 1998, the campus athletics program competed as the Metros and had no official logo, mascot or centralized branding.[2] In 1998, the student body voted among three finalists, Jaguars, Indy Hawks and River Hawks, with Jaguars winning the vote.[3]
The original Jaguar logo was created by SME Branding from New York. The new mark was unveiled November 13, 1998, when a student pulled the fabric hiding the new midcourt design featuring the roaring Jaguar at The Jungle arena.[3]
In 2007, IUPUI revamped its athletics brand with a new jaguar design featuring multiple colors and gradients, along with a new typeface consistent with other IU campuses.[4] In 2017, the athletics brand identity was updated again by adopting the same typeface used among the IU campuses, while the jaguar head design remained the same.[5]
Following the transition of IUPUI to Indiana University Indianapolis in 2024, the athletic department created a new visual identity and branding position. The IU INDY trademark application describes the mark as a gray rectangle encompassing an orange, red, black and white head of a jaguar followed horizontally by the letters IU INDY written in red.[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The jaguar mascot was selected by the student body in 1998 during the transition to Division I athletics.[3] Bev Knight, who oversaw IUPUI’s mascot program, described the jaguar as “a fast and strong animal that represents the rapid growth and strength of our campus very well.”[2]
Typography and Design
The 2017 brand update adopted the same typeface used among the IU campuses, aligning the athletics wordmark with the broader Indiana University visual system.[5] The current IU Indy mark, as documented in the trademark filing, uses red lettering for the IU INDY wordmark alongside the jaguar head.[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.
