Sammy Bearkat is the mascot of Sam Houston State University (SHSU), located in Huntsville, Texas. He is a popular attraction at many athletic events such as football, basketball, and volleyball. He also appears for various campus and community functions. Sammy's two-minute routine earned him a national championship of the mascots division at the 2005 United Spirit Association Collegiate National Championship. Sammy was also named the 2010[1] and 2011[2] National Cheerleading Association (NCA) Mascot National Champion.In the 2012 nationals season, Sammy competed with the SHSU Co-Ed Cheer Team (who made their first appearance ever) at the National Cheerleading Association (NCA) collegiate cheer competition. Together they won first place and earned the title of NCA Division I Cheer National Collegiate Champions. In 2013 Sammy also competed with the SHSU Co-Ed Cheer Team who won their second straight national championship title for NCA. Sammy returned to the Band Shell in Daytona Beach to compete alongside the SHSU All-Girl cheer team who won the NCA All-Girl Division I National Championship Title in 2014. In 2015 Sammy was able to wrap his paws around another NCA Division I title as he competed alongside the Co-Ed Cheer Team. In 2016, Sammy competed alongside the SHSU Division I Co-Ed Cheer Team to win another 1st place NCA National Championship. Sammy was also chosen as the 2016 NCA Mascot National Champion after showcasing a great routine in Daytona Beach, Florida. Sammy has now brought home 1st place in various different flavors in 2005 (USA Mascot Championship), 2010 (NCA Mascot Championship), 2011 (NCA Mascot Championship), 2012 (NCA Division I Co-Ed Championship), 2013 (NCA Division I Co-Ed Championship), 2014 (NCA Division I All-Girl Championship), 2015 (NCA Division I Co-Ed Championship) & 2016 (NCA Mascot Championship & NCA Division I Co-Ed Championship), 2017 (NCA Mascot Championship), 2018 (NCA Division I All-Girl Championship).
Sam Houston Normal Institute's athletics teams were originally nicknamed the Normals. When the Texas Legislature changed the name of Sam Houston Normal Institute to Sam Houston State Teachers College, the term “Normal” became outdated.[3]
The settled replacement was Bearkats, though early references spelled the name either "Bearcats," "Bear Cats," or "Bearkats." A bearcat is said by some to be a kinkajou, a small, golden, carnivorous mammal that resides in the jungles of South America. It is doubtful those who coined the "Bearkat" nickname had either a kinkajou or a binturong in mind. However, more likely, the name came from a popular local saying of the time, "Tough as a Bearkat!" Since the animal in the saying was thought more mythical than real, the spelling settled upon was "Bearkat, because the University of Cincinnati Bearcats are the only "bearcats"!."
In the late 1940s, then SHSU President Harmon Lowman attempted to change the Sam Houston mascot from Bearkats to "Ravens" (after General Sam Houston's Cherokee nickname). Mrs. Vernon Schuder reported that the alumni were polled and she voted for the raven, but that "all those old Bearkats beat us out![4] "
Three real kinkajous graced the SHSU campus in their role of a live mascot at various times during the 1960s and 1970s.[5]
On December 14, 1959, Sammy began appearing at sporting events and other university functions.
The current Sammy Bearkat look and suit was unveiled on January 30, 1997 at half time of the Sam Houston State versus Stephen F. Austin basketball game.
Although many of the former student mascots remain unknown, some of them include:
In 1986, Samantha Bearkat was introduced as a non-costumed character. In later years Samantha appeared in costume along Sammy. she was "retired" in 2005. Cindy Coe, who played Samantha from 1989 to 1990 brought a whole new look to Samantha's costume when her Mom custom-made most of Samantha's outfits to include a homecoming dress, old fashioned bikini and other fun fashions. (These clothes have since been donated to the Florida Gators mascot team.)
Airkat, an inflatable costumed version of Sammy, appeared in the mid-2000s. Although the costume has since been retired, it is still in a container on school grounds.