When exactly did the name “Spartan” become associated with the university’s athletic teams? Suggested answers ranged anywhere from 1926 to 2000, but the correct answer lies somewhere in the middle: 1970.
In 1967, Case Institute of Technology (known as the Rough Riders) and Western Reserve University (the Red Cats) joined together to form Case Western Reserve University.
In 1970, members of the “Captain’s Council”—captains of the athletic teams—adopted the Spartan as the official mascot of the federated university.
Find a history of the mascots here.