After the release of the revamped Billiken mascot in the fall, the SLU community responded with mixed reviews of the modifications.

The SLU administration immediately came back with a survey for the student body. They received nearly 17,000 responses and announced just one week later that they would return to the drawing board to make some tweaks to the new face. The aim of the new mascot was to reflect the poll’s results.

On Jan. 25, they revealed their hard work during halftime of the men’s basketball game against UMass. The game was the annual Billiken Blue Out and also served as a ceremony for recognizing student-athletes’ academic achievements.

Several student-athletes lined the floor, and thousands of fans waited in anticipation to greet their new and improved Billiken.

The new Billiken raced onto the floor with noticable differences, mostly in the face. The eyebrows and eyes were made softer, the open mouth was switched to a closed position, and the two-toned face changed to an all-white covering.

Freshman Alyssa Seitzer enjoyed the new mascot. “It was definitely an improvement,” she said. “The jersey looks a lot better, and it’s more friendly. It’s just a lot less creepy overall.”

Sophomore Karley Kucera had a more critical view of the change. “I think it’s a little better, but it could still be improved,” she said. “I’m not a big fan of the chin.”

While most were comfortable with the previous mascot of over 20 years, students will hopefully warm up to this balance between the friendly winking face and the competitive modern twist.