Champ is figuratively—and literally—the face of UMD athletics, in the words of Assistant Athletic Director Bob Nygaard. However, that face—and even Champ’s name—are only recent symbols of our identity as Bulldogs. The Bulldog nickname even predates Duluth State Teachers College’s transition to UMD. This guide examines the origins and evolution of the bulldog nickname and mascot from 1933 to the present.

The information and photographs in this guide were researched and collected by UMD Archives student employee Tucker Nelson during the summer of 2019. This guide is accompanied by a display on the first floor of the Library.