The Loyola Ramblers are the varsity sports teams of Loyola University Chicago, an NCAA Division I program that has competed in the Atlantic 10 Conference since July 2022 after departing the Missouri Valley Conference.[1] The athletic identity centers on the wolf, a mascot inspired by the coat of arms of St. Ignatius of Loyola, from whom the university derives its name. That heraldic crest, carved on the lintel of St. Ignatius’ family home in Loyola, Spain, depicts two wolves standing over a kettle, symbolizing the prosperity and generosity of the Loyola family.[2]
Design and History
In January 2012, Loyola unveiled a new athletics brand designed by Sport Graphics of Indianapolis. The primary logo featured a wolf head with yellow eyes and visible upper teeth set above the words “Loyola University Ramblers” in gold type with maroon highlights. Secondary and tertiary marks were also created for apparel, uniforms and publications. Sport Graphics’ Marty Hill said the goal was to “build and expand on the strong heritage of the existing brand by focusing on the wolf head’s strong attributes and pair it with a confident typeface.”[2]
In 2019, Loyola Chicago athletics promoted the then-secondary Wolf Head + L logo to primary status. Colors were unchanged, and all logos and marks with gradients were discontinued.[3] The current primary mark combines a gold letter “L” with a wolf’s head rendered in black and gray.[4]
The Ramblers nickname dates to 1926, when Loyola’s football team was dubbed “Ramblers” by the media because it traveled so extensively across the United States. Loyola is the only NCAA Division I school known as the Ramblers.[2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The wolf imagery traces directly to the coat of arms of St. Ignatius of Loyola, which depicts two wolves standing over a kettle. According to Loyola’s 2012 logo announcement, the wolves and cauldron refer to the prosperity and generosity of the Loyola family, who after feeding family, retainers and soldiers had enough food left to feed even the wild animals.[2]
Maroon and gold are the university’s identity colors, described in Loyola’s brand guidelines as colors that “embody the history of St. Ignatius: maroon and gold were the colors of the house of Loyola.”[5] The official specifications are Loyola Maroon (PMS 7421c, HEX #5a0722) and Loyola Gold (PMS 1235c, HEX #eaaa00).[5]
Typography and Design
The 2012 redesign introduced a more modern typeface while maintaining the wolf head tradition. The primary logo’s wordmark appeared in gold type with maroon highlights “to provide a more traditional and collegiate look.”[2] A federal trademark registration for the wolf head and stacked “LOYOLA” / “RAMBLERS” wordmark describes the wolf head as colored in cool gray, light gray, dark gray and black with yellow eyes and white teeth, with the wording colored in dark yellow, yellow and gold, outlined in white and again in maroon.[6]
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