UNI to add live panther as part of game day experience

Courtesy UNI Athletics Communications –

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa athletic department has announced the addition of a live Panther as part of in-game and on-campus promotions, Director of Athletics Troy Dannen announced today.

The Panther, which will reside inside the UNI-Dome when not appearing at public functions, has already been chosen by the athletic department and will arrive in Cedar Falls in the coming months.

Steve Gearhart, Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs, started the conversations among athletic department members about bringing on new promotions for UNI. His connections to the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa made the effort and idea come to life.

“We really felt like our brand as the UNI Panthers needed to take the next step,” Associate Athletics Director Steve Schofield said. “We wanted to follow in the footsteps of trailblazers like LSU with ‘Mike the Tiger’ and ‘Bevo’ at the University of Texas.”

The Panther will be a new campus attraction and will take walks with its handler during the summer and fall months leading up to football season as part of the “Get to know your Panther” campaign. During the cold Iowa winters, the Panther will remain in the UNI-Dome, using the UNI indoor track for exercise and the long jump pits as its very own, industrial-size litter box.

“Our jumpers will have to dodge some things in the long jump pit, but we train them to perform through adversity,” head track and field coach Dan Steele said. “Having a live Panther in the Dome is worth it.”

The UNI-Dome, which was finished in 1976, has hosted such events as the National Junior College Football Championships, the USA Junior Wrestling tournament, home football games, high school track meets and various big name concerts.

“If anyone has the facility to house a live Panther, it is UNI,” Dannen said. “The UNI-Dome is a multi-purpose facility that has been home to concerts, athletic events, high school events and much more. Why not make it home to a live animal as well?”

The new addition to the UNI family will serve several functions throughout the athletic calendar including leading the football team out of the garage before all home football games.

“We think it will be real intimidating for our opponents when the Panther leads us out of the garage door and onto the field,” head football coach Mark Farley said. “I don’t know how they’ll control it, I mean this is a wild animal, but that’s someone else’s problem.”

As part of the naming process, UNI welcomes all fans to attend the annual UNI Football Spring Game presented by Tyson on Friday, April 25. As part of the pre-game entertainment with Gary Rima, the department will be taking votes on four different names.

Names under consideration include Troy, Bobbi, Moose or Farley. The winning name will be announced by Farley at halftime of the game.

A welcoming ceremony for the Panther will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 8 as part of UNI Graduation Week. Fans can line the sidewalks of “Happy April Fool’s Day” street and welcome our new friend to Cedar Falls.