Students stand in line for free t-shirts featuring new Athletic logo

New Logo Debuts for Athletics

Free T-Shirts Handed Out to Students

By: Jake Rinehart

Posted: 8/29/07

Over the past year, the Lubbock Christian University Athletic Department, in conjunction with the Marketing and Communications Department, has been redesigning the LCU Athletics logo in hopes of modernizing the Chaparral while remaining true to the bird Chap fans have come to love.

Though Athletics has been gradually releasing the new logo to various entities in preparation for the school year, the new Chap was formally released to the student body Tuesday morning as the athletes handed out over 1,200 t-shirts with the design during the annual coke and candy celebration, which immediately follows the second day of chapel.

The new Chaparral and its accompanying lettering was designed by Eric Rickabaugh and Rickabaugh Graphics, a design company based out of Columbus, Ohio, whose clients include universities such as Texas A&M, Baylor, North Carolina State, and Ohio State, and professional organizations such as the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS.

One of the most noticeable improvements with the new logo is the variety Athletics and the different athletic programs now have in branding their teams. The new design, which includes over 80 variations, is available in three different color combinations and can be made sport specific.

Marketing and Communications Director Warren McNeill and graphics designer Trey Shirley have spearheaded the project on the LCU side and have gone to great lengths to ensure that the new logo is in keeping with Lubbock Christian University tradition, and by all accounts, they have been successful. All of the initial reactions indicate that the logo will be well received.

Since Lubbock Christian University adopted the Chaparral mascot during the 1963-64 academic year, the bird has undergone several transformations. The newest transformation, however, is the most comprehensive and replaces a logo designed by former LCC student and faculty member Hanson Ling, which was put in place since the late 1970s.

The complete switch to the new design will take a couple of years as the LCU Athletic Department and Marketing and Communications will gradually replace all of the old logos around the athletic facilities.