Catherine BittingWuShock’s look, no matter the era, is distinctive. Depending on your age, Wu might bring back memories of the Final Four or other big moments.
Wichita State University’s mascot, created in 1948 by junior Wilbur Elsea, evolved over decades into today’s modern design. That doesn’t mean previous versions of Wu fell out of style.
Vintage WuShock logos, from as far back as the 1950s, are enjoying a comeback. In December, Wichita State announced its partnership with Homefield, an Indianapolis company dedicated to vintage college clothing.
“WuShock is just so different than most mascots,” said Connor Hitchcock, co-founder and CEO of Homefield. “Very rarely do you have a school that has a different mascot, unique, and there is athletic success with it. Wichita State has that.”
Wu Homefield highlights Wu’s evolution with logos such as the “Fighting Shockers” from the 1950s, the full-body Wu used from 1964 to1998 and one-offs such as top-hat Wu. The line of shirts and hoodies also celebrates the script Shockers from the 1989 College World Series champion baseball team, the 1980s MTXE basketball era and the script WSU popularized on 1980s football helmets.
“It’s trendy, even for younger fans,” said Connor Phelps, director of marketing and fan engagement in the athletic department. “That nostalgic vibe really resonates.”
Catherine Bitting – WSU program manager, trademarks and branding, is involved in several projects to improve the variety of Shocker-related products, including one with The Workroom, a Wichita shop and art collective.
Refreshing the use of vintage logos through Homefield gives the university an opportunity to showcase Wu’s rich visual history and connect with fans looking for something different. Charlie Hustle, a Kansas City apparel company, also features several old-school Shocker products.
“There is a desire to look back at things that have been tucked away,” Bitting said. “We get to climb into closets and say, ‘Ooh, let’s dust this one off. This one is fun.’”
The process started with WSU’s association with Collegiate Licensing Co., which helped connect the university with Homefield.
“Homefield creates very high-quality, vintage apparel,” Bitting said. “We had some good conversations and made some introductions and said, ‘We see you don’t have Wichita State University in your lineup. Can we make that happen?’”
Homefield and Wichita State worked together to research Wu’s history through athletic uniforms, yearbooks, programs, media guides and souvenirs. Special Collections and University Archives contributed a mascot timeline created years ago. Homefield also takes suggestions and information from fans on social media.
“We do a ton of research,” Hitchcock said. “We have a whole team of designers who nerd-out on college sports. When time permits, we will do our own campus visits for games, to get the whole game-day experience. We really care deeply about getting it right.”
Wichita State’s athletic department is always looking for ways to get its brand exposure. A desire for different looks on apparel surfaced frequently during surveys of fans. Homefield, a direct-to-customer outlet, gave WSU merchandise to send to influencers – such as prominent former student-athletes – for publicity on social media.
“This is a brand that popped up pretty quick,” said Madison Stein-Mason, deputy athletic director. “It’s a good opportunity to give Shocker Nation something new. We’ve really identified the need to be more tailored to what our fans are wanting and also get some stuff out there that looks different.”
WuShock, WSU’s “big, bad, muscle-bound bundle of wheat” excels at looking different, no matter the era.
File photo
