The University of South Alabama's PAWS Mascot History
The University of South Alabama (USA) is a public research university located in Mobile, Alabama. It was established by the Alabama Legislature in May 1963, succeeding extension programs in Mobile operated by the University of Alabama. USA consists of ten colleges and schools, including one of Alabama's two state-supported medical schools. In the fall semester of 2018, South Alabama had an enrollment of 15,093 students, offering a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees. The university also provides classes in nearby Baldwin County at its Fairhope campus, and in 2015, it opened the Gulf Coast Campus. Students can choose from more than 50 bachelor's degree and certificate programs and more than 40 master's degree programs.
The Birth of the Jaguars Mascot
South Alabama has been known as the Jaguars since 1965, following a decision by the board of trustees to select the animal as the school’s mascot. In 1968, the university was given a South American Jaguar by a Baton Rouge civil engineer named Toxie Craft. However, “Mischka” didn’t last long as the Jaguars’ mascot.
South Paw and Miss Pawla: A Mascot Duo
What’s better than one college football mascot? How about two? South Alabama has two mascots, “South Paw” and “Miss Pawla”. “South Paw” and “Miss Pawla” form the Jaguars’ mascots.
South Paw: The Original Jaguar
“South Paw” was the original costumed Jaguars mascot, first appearing as a nameless paper mache head in 1971. Although the program has only been playing football since 2009, the South Alabama Jaguars mascot has a history that goes back much further than that.
NCAA Mascot Competition
The NCAA mascot competition was the brainchild of “Redeye Chicago,” a hip Web site run by the “Chicago Tribune” that is aimed at young urban residents inside the city. Voting for the mascots mimicked the NCAA bracket with mascots advancing through rounds like their basketball teams for the past month. Southpaw’s final opponent was Baylor’s mascot, Bruiser, but the Jaguar giant snared 51 percent of the vote, with more than 500,000 fans voting. Earlier, Southpaw beat out mascots from Butler, Tennessee, St.
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A Comprehensive University
The University is governed by a board of trustees appointed by and including the governor of Alabama. The board appoints a president of the university. Frederick Palmer Whiddon served as president from 1963 until 1998 and was succeeded by V. Gordon Moulton who served until 2013. John W. Smith, the current executive vice president, served as an interim president until the arrival of Tony G. Waldrop in 2014 and after his retirement in 2021. The USA Board of Trustees announce Jo Bonner as University president. The USA Board of Trustees approves a resolution naming the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine building. The University begins a year-long celebration of its 60 th Anniversary.
The University moved from 154 St. Louis Street to the main campus on USA Drive. Gov. George C. Wallace and other dignitaries attended the groundbreaking ceremony. First meeting of the USA Board of Trustees; Dr. Frederick P. Whiddon appointed first president. Dr. Robert M. Daugherty hired as Vice President. The University's first Ph.D. program approved. Dr. V. Gordon Moulton appointed as the second president of the University. Dedication of the John W. Laidlaw Performing Arts Center. Dedication of the Larry D. Striplin, Jr. Center for Medical Education and Research. The Archaeology Museum opens as home of the USA Center for Archaeological Studies. University approved to offer Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. USA announces plans to admit the first class of students in fall 2007. Dr. G. David Johnson named as the first Vice President for Health Sciences. Dr. Mohan N. Kumar hired first Vice President for Research. The J.L. Bedsole Foundation pledges $1 million to establish the J.L. Bedsole Scholars Program. The University announces completion of its $150 million Upward & Onward campaign, exceeding its goal by $10.9 million by raising $160.9 million. $20 million Fanny Meisler Trauma Center at USA Hospital opens. This state-of-the-art facility is the region’s only level-1 trauma center. Dr. Tony G. Waldrop appointed as the third president of the University. Drs. John V. Marymont and Samuel J. Strada honored for their service to the University. South inaugurates Josiah R. and Ruth V. Hardcastle Plaza. Aloe Bay Company donates $1.6 million for the Jaguar Marching Band. Providence Hospital joins USA Health. Jaguar softball team wins the Sun Belt Conference regular season for the first time in program history. The Abraham A. Mitchell College of Business announces the creation of the Elliot Maisel Trading Room, a state-of-its kind at the University, in the Mitchell College of Business. Mobile businessman Elliot Maisel donates $5 million for the new Frederick P. Whiddon Hall. The University of South Alabama Health System is the only Level 1 trauma center on the upper Gulf Coast, and provides specialized care to premature infants who are unable to care for their newborns.
Athletics at South Alabama
The South Alabama Jaguars represent the University of South Alabama in NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics. South Alabama competes in the Sun Belt Conference; it is the conference's only member to have remained in the conference since it was founded. South Alabama has Sun Belt rivalries with all of the East Division schools (Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, and Troy). On December 6, 2007, the school's Board of Trustees approved the addition of football to the intercollegiate athletics program. The team began play in 2009 with a planned full transition to the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) by 2013. On February 15, 2008, President Gordon Moulton and Athletic Director Joe Gottfried announced that Joey Jones, former University of Alabama and Atlanta Falcons receiver, would be the first head football coach in the university's history. In early August 2009, the President Moulton hired Dr. Joel Erdmann to take over as athletic director tapping into Erdmann's experience building sports programs and his experience with both football operations and game day programming. On September 5, 2009, the South Alabama Jaguars defeated Hargrave Military Academy 30-13 in their first ever game, and finished their first ever football season on November 12, 2009, with a shutout of an NCAA Division III team with a 35-0 victory over Huntingdon (Ala.) College. USA completed its first season undefeated at 7-0, outscoring its opponents by a combined score of 321-41. The 2010 schedule was made up of schools from National Collegiate Athletics Association Division I-FCS, NCAA Division II, and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. USA finished the season undefeated at 10-0, outscoring its opponents by a combined score of 413-130. After the week 3 game of the 2011-2012 football season S.
South Alabama's home park is Eddie Stanky Field, a 3,775-seat stadium with a natural grass playing surface. Softball is played at Jaguar Field since 2007. The football games are played on Abraham A. Mitchell Field.
The baseball team is typically a powerhouse in the Sun Belt Conference, and has produced a number of successful Major League players, such as Juan Pierre, Adam Lind, Luis Gonzalez, Jon Lieber, Marlon Anderson and David Freese. Since the creation of the Sun Belt conference in 1978, South Alabama leads with 12 Sun Belt Tournament titles; the next highest is The Louisiana-Lafayette with 4. The South Alabama baseball team plays its home games at Eddie Stanky Field. It features a natural grass playing surface and is named after former coach Eddie Stanky who compiled a 488-193 (.717) record in 14 seasons as coach. Stanky Field seats 4,500 spectators, and features the Jon Lieber Clubhouse and Luis Gonzalez Hitting Facility. The success of the Jaguars at Stanky Field continued under Steve Kittrell. Kittrell led the Jaguar baseball program to more than 1,000 victories, 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, and numerous Sun Belt Conference championships.
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The men's basketball team has a strong history as a founding member of the Sun Belt Conference. After a successful stint in the late 1980s and 1990s, South Alabama basketball declined in the early part of the 2000s. In 2002, John Pelphrey was named coach and brought the team back to its winning ways. In 2006, South Alabama won the Sun Belt Conference tournament, defeating Western Kentucky 95-70 in the championship game; thereby earning a bid into the NCAA tournament. This was their first since NCAA bid since 1998 and were seeded 14th in the Minneapolis bracket. They lost to the 3rd-seeded Florida Gators, 76-50, who went on to win the 2006 NCAA men's basketball tournament. The 2005-2006 basketball season marked the best turnaround in the nation for a Division I basketball program. South Alabama was 10-18 in 2004-05 and went 24-7 in 2005-2006. This yielded a 12.5 differential to lead the nation, ahead of Brigham Young and Memphis who both had 11.5 differentials. South Alabama followed that with three more 20-win seasons in a row, and in 2008 received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, but lost to Butler University in the first round.
The men's track team has been consistent in recent years. David Kimani won a cross-country championship in 1999 and two individual titles in 2000. Vincent Rono won the NCAA Outdoor Championship in 2006. Women's softball was added to South Alabama's sports in 2007.
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