College debuts new Raiders mascot logo

Nearly 40 years after students voted on an athletic mascot for the justopened Moorpark College, the athletics department debuted the new Blue Raider at the recent 40th anniversary kickoff celebration.

"It is very important to establish a strong brand identity for Raider athletics, because we have such a strong history and a tradition of excellence," said Howard Davis, athletic director.

Moorpark College competes in the Western States Conference and has won 119 WSC championships and 9 WSC Supremacy awards.

"As impressive as our athletic success is, Raiders have enjoyed even more academic success," said Davis. Two students have won state Pepsi Scholar Athlete awards: Mary Hanley in 2006 and Cherisse Meichtry in 2000.

Raider teams have been nominated 23 times as Scholar Athlete teams, meaning the team average grade point average is at least 3.0.

To select a new Raider logo, a focus group of coaches and student-athletes, faculty, staff and administrators worked with Phoenix Design Works of New York City.

"Phoenix Design Works took our input and came up with a fantastic new mascot that corresponds with the history of the area," said Davis. "We decided the Raider image should pay tribute to the college's old California heritage, to be Zorrolike."

Created by writer Johnston McCulley in 1919, Zorro was a fictional hero who stood up for the downtrodden who were tormented by rich Spanish landholders. Zorro wore a black cape, flat-brimmed hat and mask and was a master swordsman and horseback rider. Zorro was patterned after the real life Caifornios who were descendants of Europeans and Mestizos living in Spanish California.

In October 1967, the original Raider mascot was selected by students from six choices: viking, colonial, bandito, raccoon, cowboy and Spanish gaucho. Over the years the original Colonial Raider morphed into a pirate, a problem for the college since Ventura College has a pirate mascot.

"We're very pleased with our new mascot and look forward to another 40 years of excellence in athletics and in the classroom," said Davis.