Why Yeomen?
WHY THE YEOMEN?
When Oberlin began its intercollegiate athletics program in 1886, only men competed. The varsity letter that the team members received was the letter O, and members soon became known as the "Ye-O-Men." Eventually, this nickname was shortened to "Yeomen." When the women's athletics program officially began in 1973, women scholar-athletes were called the "Yeowomen."
WHERE DID YEOMEN COME FROM?
The Yeomen name was selected in a contest that ran in the Oberlin Review from Oct. 26 - Nov. 12, 1926. The selection was then announced at a later date. The Nov. 9 issue said the "Yeomen was derived from a combination of Ye-O-Men and was chosen because of its cleverness and implication of fighting warriors." The person who proposed the name was Lee Shackson.
WHAT ABOUT THE SQUIRREL?
Oberlin's athletics teams will forever remain the Yeomen and Yeowomen, but in 2014 the department officially welcomed a squirrel mascot to its department-wide branding scheme. The albino squirrel has been a part of the college's history dating back to the 1970s and has become an endearing icon in recent years. Often found in Tappan Square, the squirrels have held a special place in the hearts of many Obies. The local folklore is if you see one of the squirrels on campus, you will have good luck that day.
