WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WFMY) – October 2018 marks the 40th year that Winston-Salem State University’s mascot got his name.
Though the Ram had been the HBCU’s mascot since 1932, it wasn’t until October 1978 that the Ram took the name Amon, after the West African deity.
It was Homecoming week that year that the athletic committee decided to sponsor a “Name the Ram” contest.
“After sorting through more than 50 entries, the contest committee chose Amon as the mascot’s name because of its originality and meaning,” the University shared.
Amon means “all powerful,” and the deity was considered to be the god of mankind’s welfare and was also represented by a ram.
The “Name the Ram” contest winner was a faculty member who chose to remain anonymous.
PHOTOS: 40 Years of Amon, The WSSU Ram
“The November 1978 issue of The News Argus, WSSU’s student newspaper, thanked the contest winner […] for suggesting such a proud name, and said that Amon adds pride and dignity to the Ram family,” WSSU explained in a blog post.
Naming Amon didn’t just add school spirit to the WSSU community, it also brought the Rams a bit of luck.
“WSSU went on to defeat the Fayetteville State University Broncos 55-21, on their way to an 11-1 season and clinching the program’s first berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs,” the blog continues.
According to WSSU, the Ram mascot had undergone several redesigns over the last 86 years, the latest being last summer.
“In August 2017, WSSU unveiled a fierce new Ram logo that continues to reflect the energy of the Ram community.”
