The Siena Saints logo reflects the spirit and determination of Siena College’s teams. The St. Bernard symbolizes loyalty, perseverance, and team unity among college athletes. The college uses this symbol to emphasize traditions of mutual support, athletic perseverance, and the pursuit of strong results.
Siena College, located in Loudonville, New York, was founded in 1937, with athletic teams named “Saints,” reflecting its Franciscan heritage. Basketball became Siena’s primary sport shortly after its early competitions in the 1940s.
In the 1950s, Siena built its first dedicated basketball facility, setting a foundation for future athletics. The college advanced to NCAA Division II competition in 1976, marking its first national recognition.
A significant shift occurred in 1984 when Siena transitioned to NCAA Division I and joined the North Atlantic Conference, later renamed the America East Conference. In 1989, the Saints made their first NCAA Tournament appearance, securing an upset victory over Stanford in the first round.
The 1990s saw further investment in athletics with the opening of the Alumni Recreation Center in 1990. In 1997, Siena moved to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), aligning itself more closely with peer institutions in the region.
Between 2008 and 2010, Siena won three consecutive MAAC Championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament on multiple occasions. The Saints moved their home games to Albany’s Times Union Center in 2010, expanding the program’s visibility.
Another MAAC title in 2020 demonstrated the conference’s ongoing competitiveness. By 2023, Siena had firmly established itself as a reliable MAAC contender, producing several prominent athletes known for their contributions to college basketball.
Meaning and History
What is Siena Saints?
These sports teams from Siena College, a Franciscan university, compete in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) at the NCAA Division I level. In addition to strong baseball and tennis teams, men’s basketball holds a special place. It consistently attracts active fans, creating one of the most exciting atmospheres in the Northeast college sports scene.
1997 – 2001
The first-generation Siena Saints logo features a Saint Bernard, the university’s official mascot, and the letter S, both rendered in a rich green with a bright yellow inner outline. At the top is a golden oval halo with the word Siena written in green, surrounded by a frame of the same color.
The mascot is depicted with a touch of humor. The Saint Bernard looks active and energetic, with a challenging expression emphasized by its bared teeth and large eyes. The dog’s fur is in natural shades of brown and white that complement the logo’s overall color palette.
Green, yellow, brown, white, and black harmoniously interact and visually enhance one another. The logo is expressive and lively, and the Saint Bernard image has become integral to the university’s athletic culture.
2001 – 2023
The updated Siena Saints logo, introduced to the public on October 1, 2001, significantly changed the image of the university’s Saint Bernard mascot. Instead of the previous aggressive appearance, the new version presents a friendly, natural look, highlighted by an open mouth with a protruding tongue and an attentive gaze. The Saint Bernard’s head is slightly tilted to the side, as if it is curiously observing what is happening.
The mascot peeks out from behind the large SIENA lettering, leaning on its front paws as if climbing over the letters. The brown-and-white fur is complemented by black lines that define the body’s contours and add depth to the illustration.
The word SIENA is written in large, slightly slanted letters, outlined in green and gold. The first letter S is emphasized, setting the scale and structure of the composition.
Phoenix Design Works designed the logo, a company known for creating athletic identities for university teams. The resulting emblem looks fresh, expressive, and memorable thanks to the successful combination of a lively mascot and striking typography.
2023 – today
In summer 2023, Siena Saints introduced a new logo, changing how the university depicts its mascot. Creative Communications Associates, a New York–based agency, created the design and proposed a simpler, minimalist style.
The emblem’s main element is a front-facing Saint Bernard head, with symmetrical contours reduced to a few lines. The breed’s recognizability is preserved through the muzzle’s smooth curves and fur folds. The color palette is limited to green, gold, and white. Green defines the outline, gold highlights the accents, and white forms the image’s background.
The mascot’s expression is stern; the dog looks straight ahead, and the slightly open mouth, showing teeth, adds seriousness and composure.
Below the image, the name SIENA appears in large, slightly slanted sans-serif letters. The yellow letters, outlined in green, complement the Saint Bernard’s head and form a unified composition.
The new emblem preserves the mascot’s image but makes it more monumental, aligning it with modern athletic branding trends.




