The La Salle Explorers are the varsity athletic teams of La Salle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The university’s current primary athletics mark, adopted in 2020, is the “Legacy L”: a stylized block letter “L” with the word “LA SALLE” arched across it in blue, gold, and white. This mark replaced the previous primary logo, an illustration of an explorer with a telescope, which had served as the athletics identity since 2004. [1]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Explorers nickname has an unusual origin rooted in a misunderstanding. The university is named for Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, the 17th-century French priest and founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, not for the French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. According to the university’s own history, a local Philadelphia sportswriter mistakenly assumed the school was named for the explorer, and the “Explorers” nickname stuck despite the error. [2]
The current “Legacy L” mark draws on the university’s institutional letter rather than on explorer imagery. The arched “LA SALLE” wordmark and the block “L” reference the university’s academic identity, while the blue and gold palette matches La Salle’s official school colors. [1]
Design and History
La Salle University was chartered in 1863 by the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and founded by the Brothers of the Christian Schools, a Roman Catholic teaching order established by Saint John Baptist de La Salle. [3] The institution was named for the order’s founder, not for the French explorer. [4]
The athletics identity has evolved through several distinct marks over the decades. A 1973 primary logo depicted an explorer figure in period attire with a hat, sword, and spear, standing atop a book with “EXPLORERS” across the spine. In 1984, when La Salle College became a university, the athletics program adopted a block “L” in gold with a white outline and blue drop shadow. [5] [6]
In 2002, the Philadelphia branding agency 160over90 designed a new athletics identity system for La Salle, credited to designer Giacomo Ciminello with creative direction from Darryl Cilli. The system reportedly comprised 64 unique marks for various applications. [7] A 2004 primary logo featured an explorer with a telescope on an oval above arched “LA SALLE EXPLORERS” lettering in blue and gold. [8]
The “Legacy L” mark was introduced in 2016 as a supplemental element of the athletics identity system. It proved popular enough that in 2020 it officially replaced the explorer illustration as the primary mark for La Salle athletics. [1]
La Salle’s athletics department has competed in the Atlantic 10 Conference since 1995, and the university has been an NCAA Division I member since 1939. [9]
Typography and Design
The current “Legacy L” mark combines a block letter “L” with an arched “LA SALLE” wordmark. The design uses the university’s blue and gold colors with white accents, and the arched lettering arrangement is a recurring element in La Salle’s athletics identity. [1] Reliable public information identifying the specific typeface used in the current mark was not found in the sources reviewed for this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the La Salle Explorers logo represent? The current “Legacy L” mark features a block “L” with arched “LA SALLE” lettering in the university’s blue and gold colors. It draws on the university’s institutional letter rather than on explorer imagery. [1]
Why is La Salle called the Explorers? The nickname originated from a mistake by a Philadelphia sportswriter who assumed the university was named for French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. The university is actually named for Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The nickname stuck despite the error. [2]
When was the La Salle Explorers logo redesigned? The current “Legacy L” mark was introduced in 2016 as a supplemental identity element and became the official primary mark in 2020, replacing the explorer-with-telescope logo that had been used since 2004. [1]
Who designed the La Salle Explorers logo? The 2002 athletics identity system was designed by the agency 160over90, credited to designer Giacomo Ciminello. Reliable public attribution for the specific “Legacy L” mark was not found in the sources reviewed for this article. [7]
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