USF retires Don mascot, will introduce wolf in spring 2027

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

The University of San Francisco will retire the Don, its mascot since 1932, and introduce a wolf at the start of the spring 2027 semester. The university announced the change on Friday, 2026-10-30, and said the Dons nickname will stay.

The decision follows a 2022 student government resolution that said the Don represented Spanish colonization of California's Indigenous people. A petition supporting the resolution gathered more than 400 signatures. USF President Salvador Aceves said new leadership in the university and athletics made it the right time to change the mascot.

Why it matters

USF is keeping the Dons name but replacing the figure that carried it, a test of how institutions separate a nickname from its colonial-era imagery.

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Key Indicators

1932

Year the Don mascot debuted

The Don has appeared at USF athletics events since 1932.

2022

Student government resolution

USF's student government called for replacing the Don.

400+

Student petition signatures

The petition backed the 2022 resolution to retire the Don.

Spring 2027

Scheduled wolf debut

USF says the wolf will appear at the start of the spring 2027 semester.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Salvador Aceves

President of the University of San Francisco

Announced the mascot change on 2026-10-30

Ariana Anayat

Former USF student government vice president

USF alumna; praised the mascot change

Brent Blaylock

USF athletic director

Joined USF in June 2026

Kevin Burke

USF vice president of mission and Ignatian imagination

Overseeing the mascot transition

Organizations Involved

University of San Francisco

Private Jesuit university

Announced mascot change; keeping Dons nickname

Private Jesuit university in San Francisco that announced the mascot change.

USF Student Government

Student government

Passed 2022 resolution to replace the Don

USF's student government called for a new mascot in 2022.

Dons Athletics

USF athletics program

Will introduce wolf mascot while keeping Dons nickname

USF's athletic teams are known as the Dons.

Timeline

2022 October 2026

4 events Latest: 2 days ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

October 2026
USF announces Don retirement and wolf mascot
Latest Announcement

USF said the Don will retire and a wolf will debut at the start of the spring 2027 semester. The Dons nickname will remain.
2 days ago
June 2026
Brent Blaylock joins USF as athletic director
Leadership

Blaylock joined USF from Oregon State in June 2026.
June 2026
March 2026
Salvador Aceves named USF president
Leadership

The USF board of trustees named Aceves president in March 2026.
March 2026
2022
Student government passes resolution to replace Don
Campus policy

USF's student government said the Don represented Spanish colonization of California's Indigenous people. A petition supporting the resolution gathered more than 400 signatures.
2022

Scenarios

Wolf mascot debuts at USF by spring 2027

Likely Resolves by May 31, 2027

Discussed by: USF President Salvador Aceves and the university's 2026-10-30 announcement

USF said the wolf will appear at the start of the spring 2027 semester. The university plans to consult students and staff on the costume design in the coming months. If that schedule holds, the wolf will appear at campus events and athletics.

USF delays wolf debut past spring 2027

Possible Resolves by May 31, 2027

Discussed by: USF's statement that the costume design is still in the works

The university has not finalized the costume design. If community consultation or production takes longer, the debut could slip past the spring 2027 semester.

USF reverses course and keeps Don mascot

Unlikely Resolves by May 31, 2027

Discussed by: Some alumni criticized the change online, but no organized reversal campaign has been reported

Some alumni objected on social media, saying the change erases tradition. A reversal would require USF to abandon the wolf plan before spring 2027.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

July 2020-February 2022

Washington Commanders name change (2020-2022)

In July 2020, the Washington NFL team retired the Redskins name and logo after sponsors and retailers pressured the franchise. The team played as the Washington Football Team for two seasons before becoming the Commanders in 2022.

Then

The franchise kept its location and league membership but lost the old name and imagery.

Now

The case showed that sponsor pressure and public criticism could force a name change even without a league mandate.

Why this matters now

USF is making a similar split: changing the mascot while keeping the Dons nickname, as Washington changed its name but kept its franchise.

December 2020-2022

Cleveland Indians to Guardians (2020-2022)

In December 2020, the Cleveland MLB team announced it would drop the Indians name, which had been used since 1915. The team became the Guardians in 2022.

Then

The team kept its city and league but replaced the name and logo.

Now

The change followed years of protests by Native American groups and pressure from sponsors.

Why this matters now

It shows how sports teams have separated nicknames from mascots and imagery, a path USF is taking by keeping Dons but retiring the Don.