History of the Lions

The Loyola Marymount Lions are the athletic teams that represent Loyola Marymount University, a Jesuit institution in Los Angeles, California. The school competes in NCAA Division I and the West Coast Conference.

College Sports Established
1955

Location
Los Angeles, California

College Name
Loyola Marymount University

Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1955 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA

Conference History
1989 - Present / West Coast Conference
1955 - 1989 / West Coast Athletic Conference

Nickname
Lions - Although its origin is somewhat clouded, the Lion mascot has been synonymous with Loyola Marymount University for more than 95 years. According to the Oct. 5, 1923 edition of the school newspaper, the Los Angeles Loyolan, the Lion mascot was suggested by an enthusiastic fan after 1919 when St. Vincent's College became Loyola College. Noting the Loyola football player's fierce competitiveness, that unknown fan described the Loyola players as Lions. The name did not generate too much popularity and the Loyola athletic nickname remained "Loyolan's" until 1923.

At that time, the article explains, the college wished to inspire new pride in its athletes and fans. Noting the success of nicknames for other colleges, the college opted to give the Lion's nickname a rebirth. Calling the old Lion mascot "mistreated and forgotten," the article explains that the Lion would officially find its way into all college songs and cheers. The Lion has remained firmly entrenched in Loyola lore to this very day.

An alternative origin story traces the nickname to the abundance of actual mountain lions which roamed Westchester when Loyola College moved here in 1927. The area remained widely unpopulated and teamed with wildlife when the school moved atop the bluffs. School officials reportedly adopted the nickname because mountain lions inhabited the area when ground was broken.

NCAA Championships
Baseball 0

Men's Basketball 0

Women's Basketball 0

Football 0

Soccer 0