Just so there isnt any confusion, the current mascot for Western Nevada College is a wildcat.

But it wasnt long ago that the college mascot had big ears and long hind legs that many children probably mistook for the Easter Bunny. Yes, Western Nevada Community College was once known as the Jackrabbits. Makes complete sense if you have ever walked or biked the numerous recreational trails surrounding the college: There are many jackrabbits bounding through the sagebrush.

But the year after Western Nevada Community College opened in 1971, the colleges mascot was the Wildcats. In fact, when WNCC played and won its first basketball game on Nov. 30, 1972, the team was known as the Wildcats.

However, the Wildcats mascot disappeared after sports hibernated for nearly three decades.

I oversaw student government from 1987 until around 2000-01. We had a jackrabbit costume many over the years, said Admissions and Records Director Dianne Hilliard who oversaw student government from 1987-2001.

Hilliard also pointed out that the jackrabbit theme was prevalent on campus and the mascot made appearances in the community. There used to be a student newspaper/newsletter called The Jackrabbit Express and the semester picnic for faculty, staff and students was known as Jackrabbit Day.

But, like the wildcat, the jackrabbit eventually went into hibernation.

It was changed to a wildcat around the time we incorporated organized athletics, starting with mens baseball and womens soccer, Hilliard said.

That was 2005 when soccer was introduced in the fall and baseball in the spring of 2006. The reason: It was determined that a jackrabbit perhaps was not necessarily an appropriate mascot for organized sports teams, Hilliard said.

Since the reintroduction of athletics at WNC in 2005-06, the Wildcat mascot has undergone a few costume changes namely to his face and shoes and he has a name: Willy. The new Willy made its public debut in 2019 in the Nevada Day Parade and various students and staff members have worn the outfit.

People said he started looking scary, said WNC Student Life Coordinator Heather Rikalo. We tried to stay pretty close to what we already had. On the old one, the plastic face was faded and thats why you couldnt see where the eyes were, and the mouth was really open to the point that the person in there could actually talk.

At some point, Rikalo wants to introduce a female mascot known as Willow to the campus and community. But she needs the help of students. To make wearing the mascot costume more attractive to students, a $3,000 annual scholarship is being offered through WNC Foundation. Applicants should have a positive and energetic personality, a desire to have fun, a flexible schedule and can interact with people of all ages. The mascot will appear at campus and community events, including parades, We Are Western Scholarship Appreciation and Recognition Night, Reach for the Stars Gala, commencement, student engagement days on campus, Friends of Western, Back to School events, and more.

If students are interested in becoming the mascot, they can contact Rikalo at 775-445-3241 or heather.rikalo@wnc.edu. The scholarship is for the 2021-22 school year.