Mascot Madness 2019
March 18, 2019
SUNY's Mascot Madness is the annual competition that brings SUNY mascots together in a competition to find out who the fans feel is the best in all of New York. Now in its seventh year, the tournament continues to grow in its size and reach. As is customary, and similar to the annual NCAA March Madness basketball tournament, Mascot Madness is broken down into 5 rounds:
Round 1: Tuesday, March 19 at noon – Friday, March 22 at 3 p.m.
Round 2: Tuesday, March 26 at noon – Thursday, March 28 at 3 p.m.
Round 3: Friday, March 29 at noon – Tuesday, April 2 at 3 p.m.
Semifinals: Wednesday, April 3 at noon – Friday, April 5 at 3 p.m.
Finals: Tuesday, April 9 at noon – Thursday, April 11 at 3 p.m.
Voting takes place online and allows for site visitors and fans to cast one vote per 24 hours in each round. Check in every round for access to voting tools and to make your voice heard.
Download the Mascot Madness 2019 bracket.
2019 Q and A with the Viking
Who are you, where are you from, and who do you represent?
I am Victor the Viking. After jumping ship on a North American voyage some 600 years ago, I froze in an iceberg that became lodged under the Troy-Menands Bridge. Eventually, in the early 1960s, I thawed and made my way up the hill to Hudson Valley. I represent Hudson Valley Community College, the Capital Region's largest community college located in Troy, NY.
What is your wackiest attribute?
I’m a pretty wacky guy so that’s a hard question to answer, but it could be my wacky beard, my wacky horned helmet, but most likely it would be my wacky dance moves!
What would your autobiography be called and why?
“Under the Horns: My Life as the Hudson Valley Viking.”
What is the biggest school victory/triumph you have been witness to?
We’ve had so many victories it’s hard to pick one, just this past year our women's soccer team had their first NJCAA All-American player – Sydnee Metzold - in program history. She also broke the school record for points scored (73) in a single season and tied for most goals in a single season (28)!
Who is your on-campus partner that helps you stay on top of your game, the Robin to your Batman?
I’m a proud partner to the Student Senators and leaders in our Student Activities Office. They get me out to all the big events and even hook me up with swag for our Viking fans.
If you could trade places with any mascot for a day, who would it be and why?
I would probably trade places Southpaw, my good friend and the mascot of the Tri-City ValleyCats, a Houston Astros minor league baseball team that calls Hudson Valley home.
Should you make it to the finals, what would your entrance song be when you enter the final competition?
Maybe something like “We Are the Champions” by Queen.
What is your favorite series to binge watch?
I’m a big fan of Jeopardy!
Everyone has a good app idea. What’s yours?
I think a great idea would be an augmented reality app where students from all over the world could experience the Hudson Valley campus!
What one fact about your school do you love to surprise your fans with?
Not many people realize that Hudson Valley has been around for more than 65 years now. An outgrowth of the Veteran's Vocational School in downtown Troy, the college was founded in 1953 as the Hudson Valley Technical Institute and initially provided practical hands-on vocational training for veterans returning from World War II and the Korean War. Today, the college proudly serves more than 400 military and veteran students and families.