Husker Hannah? Athletic Director says there's 'zero interest'

Small cards and fliers are appearing on coffee shop countertops and bulletin boards in support of a new University of Nebraska-Lincoln mascot: Husker Hannah.

The business cards and fliers show a brunette character wearing denim overalls and red ballcap, both stamped with the Husker "N."

Baristas at Cultiva near UNL’s East Campus and The Mill in downtown Lincoln said the handouts started appearing on their counters and bulletin boards about a month ago, but they weren’t sure who had been scattering them around town.

The Husker Hannah handouts have QR codes, and when scanned, automate an email to NU Athletic Director Troy Dannen and Deputy Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator Kristen Brown. The draft email reads:

“As a proud Husker fan, I’m excited to see the incredible momentum around women’s sports here at Nebraska and across the country. Our athletes are breaking records, filling arenas, and inspiring the next generation of fans — and I believe it’s time for our spirit and traditions to reflect that.

That’s why I’m supporting Hannah Husker as an official female mascot for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Nebraska has already shown that having more than one mascot is part of our identity, and adding Hannah would be a bold, exciting step forward. She represents energy, pride, and inclusivity — everything our program stands for.

Hannah isn’t just a mascot. She’s a celebration of every female athlete, every fan, and every young girl who dreams of being part of Husker Nation. By adopting Hannah, we can continue to lead the way in embracing growth, honoring tradition, and inspiring the future.

I hope you’ll consider making Hannah part of the Husker family.

Go Big Red!”

Several major colleges have created their own separate female mascots, such as Arizona’s Wilma T. Wildcat, Arkansas’ Sue E. Pig and North Carolina State’s Ms. Wuf. Just in the past few years, female mascots have received widespread support, such as the New York Liberty’s Ellie the Elephant, whose social media rise has captured new fans for the WNBA team. Last fall, the University of Akron’s female mascot, Zippy, became the first female mascot to sign a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal.

Supporters of creating a similar mascot at UNL argue the rise of women’s sports shows the need for more representation when it comes to the mascots who jazz up the crowds during games. Nebraska Volleyball, specifically, has recently helped set attendance records for schools hosting their away games and has drawn hundreds of thousands of eyeballs to their games on TV in the last few years.

But incorporating a female Husker mascot doesn’t seem to be on the horizon, according to Dannen. On his monthly Athletic Director’s Show on Sports Nightly Tuesday night, the AD said flatly, “We’re not adding a mascot.”

Dannen acknowledged he “heard from enough people” to ask other coaches around the department to poll their reactions to a “female Herbie.”

“Our coaches have zero interest,” Dannen said. “In fact, a couple of our coaches find it offensive – a couple of our female sports coaches found it offensive.”

The NU Athletic Department has not returned a media inquiry about how many Husker Hannah emails had been received by Wednesday morning. But Dannen said they’re leaning more into Herbie Husker, the oldest current mascot of UNL’s sports teams, who recently received a makeover in 2023.

The university is betting big again on Herbie Husker, putting him front and center on the new basketball court at Pinnacle Bank Arena, home to the Husker men’s and women’s basketball teams. Earlier this year, Dannen shared the court mock-up on social media, drawing wide support from fans.

The Huskers’ second mascot is Lil Red, who is the “newest” mascot for the university teams. Created in 1993 to appeal to younger Husker fans and Nebraska Women’s Volleyball. The team of two is likely to stay that way, according to Dannen.