
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.