According to local Everglades folklore, the ibis is the last animal to leave to shelter before a hurricane and the first to return after the storm passes. They are known as birds of resilience, which led the Hurricanes to adopt the ibis as their mascot.
Sebastian the Ibis is a well-known symbol of the University of Miami, but UM was not always graced by the energetic bird ’Canes fans know and love.
UM’s first on-field mascot was not an ibis but a white boxer dog named Hurricane I, who made his debut in 1949 at the homecoming football game. Seven years later, Norman A. Whitten, the director of the student union, created the first ibis costume for a homecoming competition entry.
In 1958, a resident of what was then the San Sebastian Hall began performing at games in a new hand sewn and glued ibis costume inspired the homecoming entry. This ibis was nicknamed “Icky” by students.
“In his earliest years, being Sebastian was like being part of any on-campus club. There were no requirements, and anybody was able to join and be part of it,” Daniel Toll, assistant director of athletics marketing and production services, said. “The suit was also very different. It was more stiff, made out of paper mache and not looking anywhere near as athletic as the mascot looks today.”
The name “Sebastian” was eventually chosen for John Stormont, the San Sebastian Hall student under the original ibis costume.
Over the years, the ibis costume evolved, with new details appearing in the 1980s. In 1983, John Routh was hired by Miami Athletics to serve as the Miami Maniac at ’Canes baseball games, then as Sebastian at other sports games and events.
“Routh revolutionized Sebastian’s character to embody the toughness and swagger of the Miami Hurricanes Football team in the 1980s, and that also led to a dramatic wardrobe change,” Toll said.
Routh was scouted by Ron Fraser, the coach of the University of Miami baseball team to perform as the Miami Maniac. When he was scouted, Routh was performing at the College World Series as a professional mascot following his graduation from the University of South Carolina where he also played Cocky the Gamecock.
The iconic ’Canes spell-out, still performed with every football score, was Routh’s creation. It started with the Maniac at baseball games and soon took hold of the football crowds. He describes the moment he remembers feeling like he really changed Sebastian in the 1989 game against Notre Dame, who was ranked number one in the country.
“The crowd was excited, and Sebastian did the spell-out during half time, and I just remembered feeling like we had something that would become a tradition,” said Routh.
He is now the executive director of the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
“It was an honor to portray Sebastian,” Routh said. “I still get a little bit of goosebumps every time Sebastian does the spell-out. I’m proud that it will be done by Sebastian for many, many years after I’m gone.”
Now, tryouts are done to select the perfect students to play Sebastian. The identity of the students are kept a secret during the school year. Their identities are only revealed on graduation day when they walk across the stage wearing Sebastian’s feet.
The University has also expanded its mascot tradition by rebranding another familiar face, Gertrude the Ibis, casually known as Gigi.
“Gertrude is Sebastian’s longtime girlfriend spanning several decades,” Toll said. “In fall 2024, we reinvented Gertrude into Gigi with a brand new suit with the intention of making her character much more integrated and involved in the University of Miami community.”
The reintroduction of Gigi came just a few days after a Sebastian mascot was called out on X for flirting with a Syracuse reporter on the sidelines of a football game.
Following the game, Sebastian posted on Instagram to update his status with a photo of Gigi. He also included a note saying “P.S. I can’t talk,” to the bottom of his instagram caption, accompanied by a winking emoji.
“Sebastian is more than just a mascot, he is the embodiment of what it means to be a Miami Hurricane, whether that is as a student, athlete or member of the community,” Toll said.