The Highlander Ranked Top Mascot in the 2018 NCAA Tournament

In his climb to the top, the Radford Highlander dominated the Sheaf Toss, the Caber Toss and the Scottish Hammer Toss.

USA Today Sports ranked the Radford Highlander as the top mascot in a ranking of all 68 teams in the 2018 NCAA tournament.

“Amazing,” wrote Charles Curtis of USA Today Sports. “Between the beard, the costume, the muscles,

the headband and all the ‘THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!’ jokes, this deserves the No. 1 spot.”

The Highlander became the name for the athletic teams in 1979, but the first mascot was Rowdy Red, who was unveiled on Dec. 9, 1981. The first-generation Highlander mascot was adopted on Sept. 28, 1996 at the first Radford Highlanders Festival. The current Highlander mascot debuted at Homecoming in 2006. ■