Saint Peter’s is just the third No. 15 seed in tournament history to make it to the Sweet 16. The other two are Florida Gulf Coast University (2013) and Oral Roberts (2021).
Because of its upset wins, Saint Peter’s has become the darling Cinderella of March Madness. Now, every college basketball fan is familiar with the school and its unusual choice of mascot.
MORE: How Saint Peter’s Sweet 16 run compares to Oral Roberts, FGCU
Saint Peter’s is the only Division I school that has chosen a peacock as its mascot. The Peacocks moniker seems to suit this colorful, enthusiastic team, but how did the small school from New Jersey settle upon that nickname? It’s a decision that dates all the way back to 1930.
How Saint Peter’s got its Peacocks nickname, mascot
Saint Peter’s chose the peacock mascot in 1930 when it officially re-opened after closing due to World War I in 1918.
The initial closure of Saint Peter’s, a Jesuit college, came “because Jesuit superiors wanted to concentrate their manpower in other colleges on the East Coast,” per Saint Peter’s official website. There were still Jesuits in residence at the college who fought to re-open it after the war, but their bids to do so were unsuccessful until 1930.
MORE: Meet Shaheen Holloway, the coach behind Saint Peter’s tournament run
So, after the 12-year hiatus, the school reopened with Robert Gannon as the dean. He chose the peacock as the school’s mascot as a nod to the mythological significance of the bird, per Saint Peter’s.
Another contributing factor to the choice of the peacock is the location of the school within Hudson County. As Saint Peter’s website explains, that land used to be known as “Pavonia,” a Latin phrase that means, “Land of the Peacock.”
So, given its historical ties to the Jersey City area and the metaphorical ties to the university itself dating back nearly 100 years, the peacock mascot has remained.
