and since then the Nittany Lion has stuck in the hearts and minds of Penn State alums. The original mascot costume resembled an African lion, and 1921 was the first time a student wore it.

The nickname soon started to take off, albeit with some initial confusion. The first Nittany Lion mascot costume a student sported in 1921 was of an African lion, mane and all, which came from a ...

And while the gold-helmeted Fighting Irish are a well-understod mascot, Penn State’s Nittany Lions aren’t as obvious. So, what is a Nittany Lion? The Nittany Lion is more than just a symbol of ...

Along the way, they also competed in 53 bowl games as of January 2025. The Nittany Lion is the mascot of the Pennsylvania State University athletic teams, which also include the Penn State Nittany ...

Penn State’s longtime mascot is a common mountain lion, the kind that roamed the mountains near the school’s State College campus until the late 19th century. One of the Nittany Lions ...

The nickname soon started to take off, albeit with some initial confusion. The first Nittany Lion mascot costume a student sported in 1921 was of an African lion, mane and all, which came from a ...