UTSA Roadrunners Logo PNG
The UTSA Roadrunners logo boasts unique individuality. It symbolizes high speed, essential for athletes to win competitions and earn outstanding awards. This emblem is filled with energy, even in the colors and shapes. It embodies students’ potential, activity, and will to win.
UTSA Roadrunners: Brand overview
| Founded: | 1977 |
| Headquarters: | San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Website: | goutsa.com |
Meaning and History
The name for UTSA Roadrunners was predetermined in 1977 when the university chose a mascot. Initially, it was supposed to be an armadillo, but the Student Representative Assembly declared the poll results invalid. After a re-vote, the California Roadrunner won. Eventually, this bird ended up on the sports teams’ logos, which were introduced to the institution only in 1981.
Since then, the emblem has undergone multiple changes, acquiring new elements and increasingly resembling its modern version. Yet, it has retained its signature blue-orange color and the image of the Greater Roadrunner. This bird can reach up to 20 miles per hour, making it an apt symbol for athletes. This bird is also known for its remarkable stubbornness and bravery, as it can eat a live rattlesnake.
What is UTSA Roadrunners?
UTSA Roadrunners are the athletic teams of The University of Texas at San Antonio. They emerged in the early 1980s and were named after their mascot, the swift bird Rowdy the Roadrunner. The educational institution competes in the American Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division I level and is the only Football Bowl Subdivision player in the entire City of San Antonio.
1980 – 1988
The original logo for UTSA Roadrunners debuted in 1981. It features a blue silhouette of the bird, after which the sports teams are named. The bird has strong legs, an elongated body, a large tail, a curved beak, and a signature crest on its head. The drawing is not detailed yet has a realistic shape akin to an illustration from an ornithological guidebook. This emblem, known as Flat Roadrunner, was never official.
1988 – 2008
Rick Nixon (Sports Information Director) and Bobby Thompson (Athletics Director) enlisted Tom Palmer to create a new logo suitable for all the athletic teams. The old image of the running bird didn’t work universally; for instance, it lacked the power and strength needed for baseball players.
In place of the flat drawing came a vibrant cartoonish character. His stride is springy, his movements confident, muscular arms clenched into fists, and his gaze is bold and haughty. The mascot is traditionally colored in dark blue, yet now his legs, tail, beak, and feathers near the eyes are orange. The anthropomorphic animal wears white shorts and a tank top with the inscription “UTSA.”
2008 – 2022
Upon becoming the Athletic Director, Lynn Hickey reformed UTSA Roadrunners to create a football team. Changing the logo was one of the primary steps, as this graphic symbol is used in public spaces, sports uniforms, official stationery, souvenirs, advertising, and much more. By then, the previous version had aged and was not in line with modern design trends.
The new emblem was unveiled on March 1, 2008. It was created by employees of Rickabaugh Graphics, who had arrived on campus as early as 2006 to study the history of the team’s traditions and to survey athletes. Eric Rickabaugh personally conceived several visual identity concepts. All options were presented for evaluation to the university’s alums, students, and staff.
Designers aimed to create a sufficiently “rugged” logo without crossing into aggression. The issue was that the California roadrunner itself doesn’t look intimidating – it’s small delicate, and some people find it weak. Yet, artists managed to counteract these flaws by endowing the bird with confidence, determination, fierceness, and assertiveness, visible in the sharp angles and clear lines.
The emblem features a dark-blue head of a bird with a large crest, a robust beak, and a pattern of orange feathers. Below is the inscription “UTSA ROADRUNNERS,” split into two lines. Both words are in bold italics, but the acronym has long triangular serifs. The letters in the first line are mostly white, with blue lines inside them, creating a depth effect. The second part of the name is solely in blue and set against an orange polygonal background.
2022 – today
Before joining the American Athletic Conference, sports teams updated their logo, removing text clutter. The remaining bird’s head is strongly associated with UTSA Roadrunners and still uses the university’s official colors. This emblem isn’t new; it has been used since 2008 as a secondary one.
Font and Colors
The sports teams representing The University of Texas at San Antonio have various individual fonts, yet the 2022 logo doesn’t include any inscriptions. Full focus is on the institution’s mascot and its official colors: orange (#F15A22), dark blue (#0C2340), and white.
