Since then, there have been several tweaks to the WuShock costume, but only five versions were considered official. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Students at Wichita North High School voted for a new mascot on Thursday, picking from four potential mascot names. Subscribe to Eddytorial: The Wichita By E.B. college sports' worst mascots.). The Oct. 7, 1948, issue of The Sunflower, the student newspaper, ran an advertisement urging students to submit names for the school's new mascot. In January 2010 (the second half of the 200910 season), the team began playing its home games at the newly built Intrust Bank Arena. The school never officially adopted the name, but the term Wheatshockers was commonly used for years, until it was eventually shortened to Shockers, which is what Wichita State is known by today. The Coyotes are owned by Chairman and Governor Alex Meruelo, and are led by General Manager Bill Armstrong, Head Coach Andr Tourigny, and 24-year-old forward Clayton Keller, who represented the Coyotes at the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Download the KSN News App and stay up-to-date wherever you are. The team had a 21-1 regular-season record before winning the tournament title once again. The mascot, an emblem of Thresher school spirit, has been getting lots of attention in the public eye, and creator Joseph Gogus plans to keep the momentum up. Ron Handy was the Playoff Most Valuable Player for both seasons and was the only player in Central Hockey League history to win the award on multiple occasions. Free shipping for many products! They loved the energy from the surrounding fans. Junior Wilbur Elsea, a former Marine who served in WWII, created a mascot that he felt was tough, no-nonsense, and serious. In July 2020, the Wichita Public Schools Board of Education began considering the name change after they received a lot of requests from the community. about the time it receivedits first football coach. Wichita East. For nearly 50 years, Wichita State University didnt have a mascot its symbol was just a shock of wheat. Required fields are marked *. In the 199394 season, Doug Shedden won the Coach of the Year award, Robert Desjardins won the Regular Season Most Valuable Player award and Paul Jackson won the Scoring Champion award. This website uses cookies to ensure we provide you the best user experience and deliver content specific to you. The students voted on them today and then theyre going to find ways that they can get alumni input also students who are in North Highs feeder pattern to provide input, Arensman told the Wichita Eagle. Justin Vulliamy has been hiding inside various sports mascot costumes since he was a high school student. When Wichita State University, then known as Fairmount College, first formed a football team in 1904, many of the players earned tuition money by harvesting wheat. In todays dollars, that equals about $175 small change compared to the $8,000 price tag of the current WuShock suit. caught on and survived until it was later shortened to Shockers. Tristan England Jan 27 Due to a variety of events at Bethel recently, school spirit is at an all time high. The Thunder are currently the ECHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks.[1]. In Latos' first season coaching, the team went 24346 and was out of the playoffs. From the introduction of the new mascot, Threshy to Bethel superfan Loren Reussers 90th birthday, to the creation of the Stone Zone student section, its clear to see this communitys love for Bethels athletics. If youve never been to a game, the Wichita Thunder is a minor league hockey team who plays their games at the downtown arena. 12221 E Central Ave It's True for U.M.B.C. the costume.) I have many fond memories of attending their games back at Kansas Coliseum when I was in high school. Jackson was replaced by Bryan Wells to become the Thunder's fourth head coach in franchise history. Don Jackson was hired as the new head coach on July 21, 1995. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. The Oct. 7, 1948, Unfortunately, not everyone loves the mascot as much as WSU students, alumni and supporters do. Elsea, who had Yank - Tiger, mascot of the Hampden-Sydney Tigers; With all the variations in his appearance, WuShock has been called ugly, terrifying, and weird. One mascot loses his head. From 1992 until December 2009, the Thunder played in the Britt Brown Arena located in the northern Wichita suburb of Park City. T-Dog runs around INTRUST throwing prizes and hanging out with the Thunders incredible fan base. Specialty jerseys are on sale for $90 (regularly $139.99). By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. In February 2021, the Wichita school board voted to move away from the Redskins mascot over a two-year period. On July 19, 1996, Jackson resigned to become head coach of the Kansas City Blades of the International Hockey League (IHL). The Thunder was one of the first six original teams of the second iteration of the Central Hockey League, along with the Oklahoma City Blazers, Tulsa Oilers, Memphis RiverKings, Dallas Freeze and the Fort Worth Fire. Once Elsea's mascot was adopted by the university, which by that time was known as the Municipal University of Wichita, all that was needed was a name. For six years, WuShock lived only on paper. More than 150 WPS high school students recently got to learn about careers in engineering at the "Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day" event hosted by the Wichita State College of Engineering. We could also scan a QR code to have food delivered. The only thing left was to name the mascot, so another contest was held, in October of 1948. We had high top tables, some chairs and a couch to lounge on. Weingartner compiled a record of 16292 during his tenure. Pretty sure, my throat is a little scratchy and sore today because of it. Contact us to become a community partner of Wichita By E.B.! On April 5, 1993, the Thunder goaltender Robert Desjardins was named the first CHL Rookie of the Year. The season was quickly turned around by Shedden, and it finished its first season with a 25322 record. football games were played on a stubbled wheat field. Fairmount's upcoming engagement with the Chilocco Indians. So theyll take all of that and put that together and make a recommendation of what the new mascot will be.. January 7, 2012 Your email address will not be published. Family fun and things to do in Wichita, KS. For information please visit our Privacy Policy, $50 will be donated to RACE Charities for every goal scored at home. At the time, many Fairmount football players earned tuition and board harvesting, The following lists the league awards which have been won by the Thunder team and its players. and Wichita State. In the following two seasons, the Thunder was the regular season champion (Adams Cup) and playoff champion (William Levins Memorial Cup). Recently, we were invited out to catch aWichita Thunder game at INTRUST Bank Arena. Wichita State has helped me put marketing strategy in a real-world perspective. Located at 1800 N. Rock Road Suite 100 in the former Pier 1 space, this one of a kind artistic experience is filled with your wildest balloon dreams. Hit the ice with the Wichita Thunder, a minor-league ECHL team that has been playing in Wichita since 1992 and at INTRUST Bank Arena since it opened in 2010. He finished the season with a 7435 record and became an assistant coach under the next head coach, Kevin McClelland. Together, these mascots played a game of broomball during halftime of the Wichita Thunder game to celebrate the birthday of the Thunders mascot, T-Dog. The Wichita Thunder are a minor league hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas. List of Wichita Thunder alumni who played more than 25 games in Wichita and 25 or more games in the National Hockey League. Laxdal went on to coach the Thunder for two seasons to an 87588 record while securing two separate playoff places. When you head to a game, youll feel the powerful cheers and chants echoing throughout INTRUST Bank Arena; its no wonder the team is called the Thunder. 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In 1948, Kappa Pi honorary art fraternity held a competition to create a mascot for the school, which was known as Wichita University at the time. Malcolm Cameron was announced as the new head coach on May 20, 2016. "We're very excited to return to Wichita to take on the Blues," said Armstrong. It was also their hiding spot when the mascot, Thunderdog, came out because these two are deathly afraid of mascots. We expect an even bigger turnout this year.". And yes, we devoured some popcorn, fries, and chicken tenders throughout the game. I was joined by friends and family who all have been to a game here and there over the years. There have been more than 700 players who have gone on to play in the NHL after starting their careers in the ECHL. the Municipal University of Wichita, all that was needed was a name. On May 14, 1995, Shedden resigned to become coach of the Louisiana IceGators of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). March 15, 2014. Ive got a skit planned and everything, Gogus said. Feb 28, 2019; Wichita, KS, USA; The Wichita State Shockers mascot during a game against the more NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-First Round-Dayton vs Wichita State Mar 17, 2017;. "We're very excited to bring this event back to the people of Wichita," said Linda Hargrove, President of ProHoops Sports & Events. You can help keep our site going with a simple one-time or recurring donation. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - The Wichita Wind Surge unveiled their brand new mascot "Windy" at Franklin Elementary School in Wichita on Thursday afternoon, in front of a crowd of excited. Video: Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. "The shootout added an exciting element to the end of the game that the crowd loved," said Hargrove. Wichita State University, formerly Fairmount College, received its first mascot name Wichita, KS 67205 Let me tell you, there are some diehard passionate Thunder fans in town, which was really cool to see. Center, thanks to Clark a longtime Greater Wichita YMCA board member, volunteer Justin Vulliamy has been hiding inside various sports mascot costumes since he was a high school student. Were Always Available. I asked the kids what they thought after the game, and they all had a great time. Homepage. The Blues are led by Chairman Tom Stillman and an all-local ownership group, as well as General Manager Doug Armstrong and Head Coach Craig Berube. And for good reason. WICHITA, Kan. - ProHoops Sports & Events announced today that Wichita will once again be host to a NHL Preseason Game on September . Threshys inclusion in this event signifies a rising interest from local event organizers in the uniqueness and creativity in the Bethel mascots design by Head Cheer Coach Joseph Gogus and Director for Institutional Communications & Marketing Tricia Clark, as well as the promotions done by the various news outlets in the area, including local news source HarveyCountyNow, which wrote an article about Threshy back in Dec.2022. Boleski, General Manager of INTRUST Bank Arena. There was no theme for the contest, and the only direction was to design a mascot that would symbolizes the schools spirit. Limited sizes available! The Coyotes play in the Central Division of the Western Conference with rivals, the St. Louis Blues. Wichita Thunder Mascot GoPro Footage - YouTube 0:00 / 35:53 Wichita Thunder Mascot GoPro Footage 21,298 views Apr 11, 2016 32 Dislike Share Save CoreyBAT 968 subscribers The first video clip. There were several others, including Wichita State Universitys WuShock. 1 supporter of all things Wichita In fact, a lot of people dont even know what he is. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The below table shows the number of times each mascot has been used at a High School in Kansas. WuShock is a big, bad, muscle-bound bundle of wheat. He currently serves as "Thunder Dog" for the Wichita Thunder and "Spinner," the . used a nameless shock of wheat as its symbol. If youre moving to Wichita, Kansas, theres something very important youll need to know: What is WuShock? The team will take on the Chicago Bulls at 8:30 p.m. at. Please, Threshy, hard at work, hypes up the student section at a fall football game . The kids were tuned in for most of the game. Save your favorite properies and contact agents to schedule a showing. Cookie disclaimer. after a number of supporters suggested the mascot needed a more intimidating look. football manager and student R.J. Kirk needed a name for the team in order to advertise The most recent WuShock look was introduced in 2006, with a less top-heavy design and a face that more closely resembles the universitys logo. Mascot GAME DAY & MISC. The 1998 version was intended to make Wu, as he is affectionately known, look more buff and intimidating. Your contribution is appreciated. Last year in the first-ever NHL game to be played in the city of Wichita, the St. Louis Blues defeated the Arizona Coyotes, 5-4, in front of over 8,500 at INTRUST Bank Arena. The ECHL is a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams. The shocks are then put through a process called threshing, which separates the edible wheat kernels from the chaff. So, heres a brief WuShock history lesson for you. Outside of firing up the student section or raiding the concession stand at basketball games, Threshy was also featured at the launch party for a new seven step strategic plan announced by President Jon Gering, and was seen at multiple Christmas events towards the end of the fall semester. Thanks to the success of the Wichita State University mens basketball team over the last few years, WuShock has gained national attention. In fall 1999, the head of the new costume underwent another redesign The team played in the Central Hockey League from 1992 until 2014, and then in the ECHL since the 201415 season. He has since become the head coach of the Western States Hockey League's Wichita Jr. Thunder. In the end, the Wichita Thunder held on for a 5-2 victory, which was a fantastic way to end our night. The Thunder was originally coached by Gary Fay, but after a 620 start, he was replaced by Doug Shedden. February 28, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL) - Wichita Thunder News Release. Wichita played its first home game at Britt Brown Arena on November 4, 1992, in front of a crowd of 5,486. 5,095 were here. Mascot: Count : Mascot: Count : Mascot: Count : . The team is riding an eight-game point streak, has points in 12 of its last 13 games, and owns wins in seven of their last . This is an incomplete list of U.S. college mascots' names, consisting of named incarnations of live, costumed, or inflatable mascots. or "shocking," wheat during the summer harvests, so the name seemed appropriate. Wichita Thunder Hit the ice with the Wichita Thunder, a minor-league ECHL team that has been playing in Wichita since 1992 and at INTRUST Bank Arena since it opened in 2010. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. @wichita_thunder Tidbits: Moved to the East Coast Hockey League to start the 2014 season Teams with the Thunder team name Tweets by mascotdb. Teddy Bears Came Raining Down! To learn more about our use of . After three seasons, and one playoff appearance, Cameron was not offered an extension. and a shortened version of the previous nickname Wheatshockers.. A planned email and social media account is also expected to appear this year, for people to ask Threshy questions or request its presence at school events. Wichita Thunder, an ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League; Other. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The pop-up event is put on by Love of Character and will only take place in the month of February. (Yes, there is a person inside The first video clip was from a hockey game filmed with a GoPro Hero 4 Silver, and the second clip was filmed with a GoPro Hero. WSU's maincampus is now home to a larger-than-life sculpture of WuShock at the entrance plaza of the new Steve Clark YMCA and Student Wellness On July 4, 2016, the Ottawa Senators' assistant general manager, Randy Lee, said that his team was in negotiations for an affiliation with the Thunder for the 201617 season. If you want to see more videos like this one leave a like and go ahead and subscribe to the channel. View recent news, updates, buy tickets and more! Mark French took over as head coach from 2005 to 2007. Browse nearly 3,000 active listings. Leave any tips or thoughts about my video in the comments. On October 7, 2014, soon before the 201415 CHL season was set to begin, it was announced that the Central Hockey League had ceased operations and the Thunder, along with the Allen Americans, Brampton Beast, Quad City Mallards, Missouri Mavericks, Rapid City Rush and Tulsa Oilers, were all approved for membership into the ECHL for the 201415 season. His was the winning design, which the university adopted as its mascot. been a Marine during World War II, decided that "the school needed a mascot who gave Then, of course, later in the game, the two youngest in our group had to lounge on the couch in luxury. What does that mean? On August 3, 2005, Laxdal announced his resignation to become the head coach of the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads. Latos was fired the following season after a disappointing start of 8197. [7], On May 15, 2019, the Thunder announced that the former Tulsa Oilers' head coach Bruce Ramsay would be Cameron's replacement.[8]. Tradition has it that in1904, - Wichita Thunder Mascot Go-Pro FootageThis video was from the Wichita Thunder's teddy bear toss night, which donates the tedd. Close search. I have to make sure to set expectations, though, that we arent sitting in the glass suite for every game. The energy in the arena was electric for that third period. ", In 1998, WuShock, also referred to as "Wu," marked his 50th birthday by undergoing The new Wu looks strikingly like the image on the logo, and is gradually On May 2, 2001, Wells was dismissed as head coach. The Blues are 10-time division champions and have made four trips to the Stanley Cup Final, including 2019 when they beat the Boston Bruins in seven games. issue of The Sunflower, the student newspaper, ran an advertisement urging students In fact, a quick online search on WuShock yields a plethora of both images and insults. After the dismissal of Wells, the Thunder announced that James Latos would be the new head coach. ST. LOUIS The Wichita State mascot stands around 7 feet tall with a prominent highlighter-yellow head sticking out of a black sweatshirt. in fall 1998. Storm - tiger mascot for Trine University Thunder, first introduced in 2010. COVID-19 Advisory: Coldwell Banker Plaza Real Estate is ready to assist you with your real estate needs. When wheat is harvested, its tied together into a bundle called a shock. The Thunders regular season runs October to April, see upcoming games. 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