Chief Illiniwek

Chief Illiniwek was the symbol/mascot of the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign (UIUC) for 81 years, from 1926 to 2007. He was portrayed by a student who performed during halftime of Illinois football and basketball games, as well as during women's volleyball matches. Chief Illiniwek was a controversial figure, with some people viewing him as a symbol of tradition and others as a racist caricature. In 2005, the NCAA banned schools from using mascots that were deemed "hostile or abusive," and UIUC retired Chief Illiniwek in 2007. UIUC has not selected a replacement mascot, but in 2020 the belted kingfisher received a majority of student votes as a possible new mascot. The University Senate overwhelmingly endorsed the kingfisher as the new mascot in September 2020.