Columbia-Greene Community College unveils new mascot
Published on:
April 29, 2026
On Wednesday, the college unveiled The Guardian, an armored-clad black bear. Photo contributed.
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HUDSON―Rip Van Winkle, the longtime mascot for Columbia-Greene Community College sports teams, has retired.
On Wednesday, the college unveiled The Guardian, an armored-clad black bear.
Plans for the new mascot have been several years in the works. The Office of Student Engagement, formerly the Office of Student Activities, along with members of the Student Senate, launched Mascot Madness, an inclusive campus wide project to explore the possibility of adopting a new mascot that accurately reflects the ethos of Columbia-Greene.
Tilt36T, an Albany top-tier design firm specializing in college mascots, led the creative process with students; distributed surveys; and conducted numerous focus groups with administrators, faculty, staff, and alumni to gather information about the college’s history, values, mission, identity, and more.
“The Guardian represents the pride and spirit of both Columbia and Greene counties. The Guardian isn't just for athletics; it is to represent our entire campus community. Our protector. Our champion. You never know where you might see the Guardian next,” the college stated.
Rip, who has represented Columbia-Greene athletic teams, The Twins, since 2015, won the SUNY Mascot Madness tournament in 2019.
