California-Irvine Anteaters Logo PNG
The logo of the California-Irvine Anteaters, rendered in the university colors, represents an original monogram of the first letters of the name. The iconic symbol conceals the image of the organization’s mascot – the anteater- symbolizing the animal’s intelligence, cunningness, and perseverance.
The UC Irvine Anteaters athletic program began in 1965, when the University of California, Irvine, opened. On November 30, 1965, students chose the anteater as the campus symbol with 56% of the vote, ahead of golden bison, sea hawk, and unicorn. The idea came from the B.C. comic, and the “Zot!” cry became part of the identity. The live mascot was named Peter the Anteater.
In its early years, the program competed in NCAA Division II as an independent. A breakthrough came in 1970, when the men’s water polo team under Ted Newland won the NCAA Division I championship. Newland coached from 1966 to 2005, finishing with a 714–345–5 record and titles in 1970, 1982, and 1989. The 1982 team went 30–0 and produced dozens of All-Americans and Olympians.
UC Irvine moved to NCAA Division I in 1977 and joined the Big West Conference. Rivalries formed with Long Beach State Beach and Cal State Fullerton. Baseball was cut in 1992 and restored in 2002. Under Dave Serrano, the team reached the College World Series in 2007, beating Cal State Fullerton and Arizona State in extra innings, and returned in 2014 under Mike Gillespie.
Men’s volleyball under John Speraw won NCAA titles in 2007, 2009, 2012, and 2013. In 2007, the team visited the White House, where President George W. Bush publicly supported them. That year, UC Irvine received the Athletic Directors Association All-Sports Trophy.
In basketball, the first NCAA Division I tournament appearance came in 2015. In 2019, the team earned its first win, defeating the Kansas State Wildcats 70–64. That same year, Peter the Anteater won Mashable’s “Mascot Madness.”
Meaning and History
On most logos, the California-Irvine Anteaters are abbreviated as “UCI,” which stands for the university’s full name. Until 2009, it was combined with an image of an anteater. For example, from 1984 to 1990, the inscription “UCI” was depicted on its blue shirt. Then, the artists moved the letters to the background, reduced the anteater, and brought it forward. The style of the drawing also changed: in the new version, the animal looks more menacing.
What is California-Irvine Anteaters?
The California-Irvine Anteaters (UC Irvine Anteaters) are an athletic department that fields 18 teams, with student-athletes from the University of California, Irvine. They participate in the Big West Conference and compete in NCAA Division I. They have 28 national championships to their credit and numerous individual achievements.
1984 – 1990
1998 – 2008
2009 – 2013
2014 – today
In 2009, the sports department’s emblem underwent another redesign. The university’s mascot disappeared; only the abbreviation, as a monogram, remained. The capital letter “U” was placed at the back, “C” in the middle, and “I” next to it. The palette changed several times. From 1988 to 2008, yellow was predominant, and the outlines were blue. In 2009, blue took the primary place. In 2014, the shades became darker. The combination of yellow and blue corresponds to the official palette of the University of California.
