The menacing red bison on the emblem and the color palette have become the embodiment of the athletic association’s affiliation with Bucknell University. The Bucknell Bison emblem symbolizes strength, perseverance, determination, drive, speed, and the aspiration to win at any cost.
Bucknell Bison athletics trace back to a university founded in 1846 as the University at Lewisburg, which was renamed in 1886. Organized sports developed early, before formal conferences.
Football began in 1883 with a loss to Lafayette College. The rivalry with Lafayette later became a regular fixture. In 1918, Bucknell recorded its first unbeaten season. In 1931, Clark Hinkle led the team to a 6–0–3 record and later entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
On January 1, 1935, Bucknell defeated the Miami Hurricanes 26–0 in the first Orange Bowl under coach Edward “Hook” Mylin. The game also marked the first Associated Press telephoto from a college football event.
The “Bison” name was adopted in 1923 and is tied to the Buffalo Valley location. Basketball dates to 1896, and in 1964, the swimming and diving team won the NCAA Division II national title.
In 2003, Bucknell became the first Patriot League school to win both men’s and women’s swimming titles in one season.
In March 2005, the basketball team upset the Kansas Jayhawks 64–63, ending Kansas’s first-round streak and securing the first NCAA Tournament win for any Patriot League team. The play earned an ESPY award.
The 2005–2006 season brought a 27-win record, a 14–0 conference run, and another NCAA win over Arkansas. Bucknell entered national rankings for the first time.
Under Dave Paulsen from 2011 to 2013, the team won three straight regular-season titles and returned to the NCAA Tournament. In 2008, baseball defeated Florida State in the NCAA regional.
Meaning and History
In the early 1990s, leaders approved the athletic department’s first logo. It was an image of the mascot animal, the bison, symbolizing strength, perseverance, and goal orientation. A red line extends from the head of the running bison, a sign of dynamism and speed. In 2002, Bucknell’s Department of Athletics and Recreation introduced a new logo as part of a new visual identity program. The presentation took place on July 22 at the Weis Center for the Performing Arts.
What is Bucknell Bison?
Bucknell Bison is a participant in an intercollegiate sports program. It includes 25 student teams from Bucknell University. They are located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and compete in the Patriot League and NCAA Division I. Among the most successful teams are those in basketball, football, and lacrosse.
1981 – 1989
1989 – 2002
2002 – 2011
2011 – today
To create a unique look for the Bucknell Bison, the developers abandoned the old design. In the past, more than 20 university programs used different versions of logos. Their appearance was uncoordinated, so the teams were not perceived as a whole. The company Joe Bosack & Co. took on the task of uniting all sports venues. The designers concluded that the words “Bucknell Bison” should be placed in the most prominent place. In the background, they depicted a brown bison that was intended to instill fear in opponents.





