More than a Mascot

How a Wolf Evolved into a Beloved Member of the SBU Family

By Beth Squire

For nearly three decades, Wolfie the Seawolf has greeted generations of students and fired up thousands of fans as the Stony Brook University (SBU) mascot. Through his evolution from his debut in 1995, Wolfie has become a key part of the Stony Brook community. 

“Wolfie is more than just a mascot to us,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Rick Gatteau. “He has become a symbol of pride, tradition and unity for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the entire Stony Brook community. Wolfie shows us exactly what it means to be a Seawolf; we’re strong. We have tenacity and resilience, and are also kind, funny and a little bit mischievous (in a playful way). Wolfie has become the glue that brings us all together, even in the toughest of times.”

Wolfie leads the charge.

Once Upon a Time
It’s hard to imagine a world before Wolfie existed but in the early days of SBU, the university’s teams and mascots went by other names. During the late 1950s, athletic teams were known as the Soundsmen, as the campus was located in Oyster Bay, New York. From 1963 through 1966, following the move to Stony Brook, the teams competed as the Warriors. Then in 1966 — perhaps to connect with the local area’s history of the Revolutionary War — the teams were known as the Patriots/Lady Patriots. That identity remained for nearly 30 years.

In 1994 Stony Brook was preparing to move its athletics teams to the Division I level and the campus sought to create an exciting and strong team name to reflect the change. The university ran a contest and the name “Seawolves” was chosen from more than 200 possibilities by a 32-person committee of students, alumni, faculty and administrators. Seawolves are based on a real animal: a subspecies of grey wolf found in the Pacific Northwest, with a reputation for courage and intelligence.

But a great name needed a memorable mascot, and in 1995, Wolfie was born.

Even Wolfie had an awkward stage, but what a glow-up!

Rob Emmerich ’95 MPP, the deputy director of Athletics who witnessed the mascot’s early rollout in the late 1990s, recalled the introduction of Wolfie to the campus. “We were bringing the mascot out to unite the community after the school had just changed its logo and nickname,” he said. “He started bringing the community together around athletics and connecting people to the university.”

But Emmerich said the launch wasn’t without its challenges. “We didn’t have a formal rollout plan, so many of us staff members ended up helping out.”

 

 

“Wolfie’s job is one of the toughest to do on campus. People don’t realize how physically demanding it is. Wolfie’s fur gets very hot and adds about 40 degrees to the outside temperature, so in the summer, it feels like he’s in a sauna. Plus, he’s constantly jumping, dancing, and interacting with the crowd. Yet Wolfie never looks tired, no matter how hot or tired he is.”
— James Boglioli, Spirit Squad Manager

 

James Boglioli, a senior majoring in geosciences and manager of the Stony Brook Spirit Squad, who oversees the hiring, training and coordination for all current Wolfie handlers and performers, agreed. “Wolfie didn’t start off as the Wolfie we know today. He had to find his voice, his personality, his energy and his style. Over time, he became the heart and soul of Stony Brook.”

Even Wolfie’s look has had to evolve. “When he was first introduced, there were concerns that he was too intimidating for kids,” said Emmerich. “We made him more cartoonish after his first look, but we didn’t love that. We wanted him to look more professional, so in 2006, we reworked his design, and that’s the Wolfie we know today.”

Wolfie took home 5th place at the UCA Nationals 2025 Open Mascot competition.

A Community Rollout
As the Department of Athletics helped refine Wolfie’s look, there were two other steps needed to ensure his success: helping Wolfie develop his personality, and then getting him out into the community, beyond attending home games. With the assistance of his “agent” Andrea Lebedinski ’08, MPS ’10, Wolfie’s reputation began to make waves.

Now director of Lifelong and Athletics Engagement, Lebedinski said she never imagined a career in college athletics. She started as a dancer on the Stony Brook dance team. After interning in the Department of Athletics, she joined full time as the coordinator of Annual Giving and Branding in 2008.

Lebedinski said she quickly saw the potential in Wolfie, who she felt wasn’t being fully utilized as he only made appearances at athletics games. “I thought, ‘This is a no-brainer.’ People didn’t even realize we were a Division I program, so I made it my mission to bring Wolfie to life beyond just game days,” she said.

She worked to develop a structured mascot program with clear scheduling and a distinct identity. “At first, Wolfie could just dance any way he wanted, but then we established specific mannerisms for consistency,” she said.

Lebedinski also focused on growing Wolfie’s presence in the local and national community, marching in the annual Memorial Day Parade in Setauket, the Santa Parade in Port Jefferson and the New York City Columbus Day Parade alongside the Spirit of Stony Brook Marching Band.

In 2011, Wolfie was invited by ESPN to participate in a national ESPN College GameDay commercial, and he even made a special appearance on “Extreme Home Makeover” when the show visited Setauket.

Rob Emmerich, Andrea Lebedinski and James Boglioli with members of the Spirit Squad. Together, they have helped Wolfie become the legend he is today.

Lebedinski recalled her attempt to get Wolfie on national television. “One summer, we decided to try to get on the “Today” show. Wolfie and I went into Manhattan at 3 am hoping to get on air. The first attempt was a bust. Security said, ‘We only allow costumed characters on Halloween,’ but we didn’t give up. We stuck around, and Al Roker eventually acknowledged us live on air.”

Chris Murray ’10, MA ’13 never could have imagined that working at a football game would involve having to work with a mascot. When he was a sophomore, Murray’s roommate suggested that he work at a game. Murray assumed that meant selling concessions or tickets. Instead, he was given an opportunity to become the primary performer “guiding” Wolfie, from 2007 to 2011.

“It was an incredibly exciting time,” said Murray. “The Stony Brook Marching Band was founded in 2006 with a small group of students that quickly grew to over 120 and the synergy between the band, dance team, cheerleaders, Wolfie and Athletics really grew in huge proportions in that short period of time. It was a perfect storm of athletic success, a renewed emphasis on campus life, and those two piggybacked off each other. As teams played better, more folks had pride. As more folks had pride, more came to the games, and the teams played better with more fans.”

With Lebedinski at the helm and Murray guiding Wolfie’s performances, their persistence paid off — Wolfie’s presence grew and so did his brand. “We got him into fairs, festivals and schools. My goal was to make Wolfie as iconic as Mickey Mouse is for Disney,” said Lebedinski.

Given that Wolfie now makes more than 400 appearances on and off campus, it looks like all that hard work has paid off. He even has a support crew that has grown to help keep up with demand: a squad of nine students managed by Boglioli, which includes those at SUNY Korea, where Wolfie expanded his pawprint last year at the request of students.

Cementing His Legacy
Wolfie’s presence at sporting events has become legendary. He leads chants, energizes the student section and celebrates every victory. But his impact stretches beyond the field or court. He’s now present at every major campus event — New Student Convocation, Homecoming, Midnight Breakfast, Earthstock, Roth Pond Regatta and Commencement. By ensuring his presence at key student milestones, he became firmly cemented in Stony Brook’s campus culture and his impact is felt beyond as well.

Wolfie loves participating in campus events, such as this Walk of Hope.

 “Wolfie attends many cancer awareness events in the community with the Stony Brook Cancer Center,” said Christina Faber, director of Cancer Center Support Services at Stony Brook University Cancer Center. “Often, the requests from community-based organizations to attend large-scale events in the community are accompanied by a request to bring Wolfie. It has been shared with me that having Wolfie there energizes the events. Wolfie’s presence has a lasting impact.”

Christine Marsh, the coordinator of Community Outreach at the Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine, echoed this sentiment. “Wolfie is an irreplaceable member of our school’s outreach team, spreading joy and excitement to everyone he encounters,” she said. “In particular, his participation in our Give Kids a Smile events transforms what could be an anxious experience for young patients into an enjoyable one. Wolfie makes these trips to the dentist exciting and helps to pave the way to so many bright smiles — and bright futures in oral health.”

Marsh added that Wolfie has a unique talent for creating a sense of community and belonging among the dental school’s richly diverse patient community.

Wolfie often partners with the Dental School to help spread smiles.

Faber also noted how Wolfie’s presence transcends generations and brings a level of energy and excitement to events. “Whether giving high-fives to kids at the event or posing for selfies with Stony Brook alumni who associate Wolfie with cherished memories of their college days, Wolfie enhances our presence and creates a positive experience. He is recognizable and synonymous with Stony Brook. When attendees at an event see Wolfie, they know Stony Brook is present. He evokes pride and embodies the Stony Brook spirit.”

Wolfie spreads that spirit across Long Island, too. He’s given out presents at the Suffolk County Police Department’s annual Breakfast with Santa; helped lead the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk; celebrated the Fourth of July in Port Jefferson Village; and has been an honored guest at many Seawolves alumni weddings. That sense of community connection is what makes Wolfie more than just a mascot, but also a unifying way to bring people together and create lasting memories.

“Wolfie’s been our most effective marketing tool,” said Emmerich. “No matter how much we spend on giveaways, the best way to promote our program is through Wolfie. Whether he’s cheering at a game or visiting a local school, he spreads joy throughout the Stony Brook community.”

“Stony Brook attracts students and faculty from all around the entire world, but the one unifying presence, regardless of your affiliation or what brought you here, is Wolfie,” said Murray. “Everyone stops for a photo or a high-five when you see Wolfie, and he’s a central visual figure between the campus and the entire ecosystem that is Stony Brook University.”

Wolfie is always the best-dressed mascot in town. Some of his more unusual costumes include pajamas, MC Hammer pants, Where’s Waldo hat/shirt, a lab coat and a tuxedo.

Beth Squire is a writer in the Office of Marketing and Communications