Mclean, U.S.A. — The cry of roars, growls, hisses, and squawks can only mean one thing…the 2012 Capital One Mascot Challenge has begun. While Labor Day is known to be a day of rest, there are 16 spirited heroes who need fan support as they vie to be crowned the Capital One National Mascot of the Year.

For the first time in its 11-year history, the competition will include two ferocious females – Ms. Wuf from NC State and Wilma T. Wildcat from Arizona. Don’t let their pretty faces and batting eye lashes fool you. These ladies will be sure to keep the men on their toes with some tough competition.

They are joined by other rookies including Colorado State’s Cam the Ram, Missouri’s Truman the Tiger, Rutgers’ Scarlet Knight and Texas Tech’s Raider Red. Members of the 2012 Capital One All-America Mascot Team include:

In addition to announcing the 2012 team, Capital One is proud to honor Western Kentucky University’s Big Red as the first inductee into the Capital One Mascot Challenge Hall of Fame. The huge, furry, lovable creature has been a proud representative of WKU students and alumni for over 30 years and has competed eight times in the Capital One Mascot Challenge.Big Red’s spirited attitude and undying support of WKU’s athletics program are just a few of the reasons why he has earned the honor of being the inaugural Hall of Fame inductee.

“We’re proud to announce the new faces of the 2012 Capital One Mascot Challenge as well as honor one of our veteran mascots this year,” said Roger Ferguson, Managing Vice President of Advertising and Sponsorships at Capital One.

“College sports fans are as enthusiastic about their mascots as they are about their football teams and we’re proud to host a program where that excitement can be amplified. Best of luck to all of the mascots who made the team and special congratulations to Big Red on the Hall of Fame induction.”

This year, fans will get a behind-the-scenes look inside the Capital One Mascot Training Camp, a place where mascots become the best of the best. Learning about mascot cohabitation, social media etiquette and everyday manners, mascots attend a series of classes, lectures and challenges to become the best. The quirky video vignettes will be released at www.CapitalOneBowl.com and www.Facebook.com/MascotChallenge.

For the first time, fans will be able to vote for their favorite mascots via Twitter. Regular season voting officially opens at 12 p.m. EST on September 3, 2012, and continues weekly through November 26, 2012. The top eight mascots with the best head-to-head records will then compete in a bracket-style, single-elimination competition to determine the overall winner.  Fans will be able to vote at www.CapitalOneBowl.com and on Facebook as well as Twitter. All voting information appears at www.CapitalOneBowl.com.

The Capital One National Mascot of the Year will be announced at the Capital One Bowl on January 1, 2013 and will be awarded a $20,000 scholarship to help fund its school’s mascot program. Each of the 2012 Capital One All-America team members will also receive $5,000 for their university mascot program.

For fans that missed out on seeing their favorite mascot in the challenge, a “write-in” campaign will be available. Fans are encouraged to log on to www.CapitalOneBowl.com to vote for their school’s mascot for a chance to be a part of the 2013 Capital One Mascot Challenge.

Image Courtesy of   Capital One Mascot Challenge

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