Sebastian the Ibis made mascot history on Tuesday morning, joining the Mascot Hall of Fame Class of 2025 on Good Morning America. UM’s iconic ibis is one of five professional and collegiate mascots recognized this year and one of 33 that have been inducted since 2005.
Sebastian also appeared on the 2020 and 2024 MHOF ballots but did not surpass the 60% of votes required for induction.
This year, more than 125,000 people voted for their favorite mascot during May’s two-week voting period. The MHOF Executive Committee also casted a vote weighing six times that of the public vote.
Mercer Peakes, a rising junior studying finance, is surprised that Sebastian was not honored sooner in his career.
“It took them way too long to recognize Sebastian,” Peakes said. “He is one of the most iconic mascots in college athletics. I am happy that he beat out many other big names in the mascot world, such as the Oregon Duck and Big Al for the honor.”
According to the MHOF website, the initiative aims “to recognize and honor the best of the best mascot characters and programs in existence.”
To qualify for nomination, a mascot must be 10 years old and leave an impact in sports and in their community.
Caitlyn Freitas, a rising senior studying political science, is excited about Sebastian’s flight to the hall of fame.
“UM has such a unique atmosphere that is hard to encapsulate, but Sebastian represents it perfectly. He commands crowds and always gets us excited about the game,” Freitas said. “It’s incredible that such an important part of our school is being recognized in this way.”
Sebastian’s flair and “C-A-N-E-S” spelling performance have remained constant since his debut in 1956. With his recent engagement to Gigi the Ibis in the Bahamas, Sebastian has been ruffling feathers on the sidelines and on social media, helping secure his spot in the MHOF.
As Sebastian soars to new levels of fame, fans can continue spotting him at games and around campus, including his regular stops at Lake Osceola for high-fives.