Mascot Madness 2021
March 15, 2021
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 16 at noon – Friday, March 19 at 3 p.m.
Round 2: Monday, March 22 at noon – Wednesday, March 24 at 3 p.m.
Round 3: Thursday, March 25 at noon – Monday, March 29 at 3 p.m.
Semifinals: Wednesday, March 31 at noon – Friday, April 2 at 3 p.m.
Finals: Monday, April 5 at noon – Wednesday, April 7 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 2021 (PDF) bracket.
2021 Q and A with the Viking
Who are you and where do you work??
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.
How have you stayed busy during the COVID-19 pandemic?
I’ve been keeping up with the college’s new e-sports teams and cheering on our students! E-sports are the fastest-growing sports on the planet, and our teams are pretty awesome. During this really unusual time, virtual competition is perfect!
What sport/activity do you miss cheering your students on in most?
All of them, really! I miss seeing all of our student-athletes more often, but I’m still out and about on campus from time to time to remind people to stay safe and mask up! I’m a proud partner to the Student Senate and leaders in our Student Activities Office. They get me out to see our students, but we have to keep our distance and get tested each week.
Favorite TV show/movie you binged during quarantine?
I’m a big fan of Jeopardy! Quarantine was the perfect time to brush up on my trivia skills.
What quarantine meal did you learn to make to help keep you strong and healthy?
Though many Vikings love meat, I’ve been working on getting my fruits and veggies in too! Many people don’t realize that Vikings like cabbages, beans, peas and endive, and wild apples and berries too. A wide range of herbs and seasonings help flavor our food, with spices like coriander, cumin, mustard and wild horseradish to season the dish. It’s been fun learning new recipes that will help give me the boost of energy I’ll need to keep up with all our student athletes once in-person sports come back!
Share your best tip to make the most out of a Zoom class or meeting.
For me, it’s all about participation – it can be easy to get distracted during remote learning, but asking questions, collaborating with fellow students and following up with my professors during virtual office hours helps me get the most out of my classes.
Who are you looking forward to competing against again the most?
I’m always up for a challenge, and the competition is steep across the board, but I’d have to say I most look forward to competing against our other local community colleges in the Capital Region—SUNY Schenectady, SUNY Adirondack, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, and Columbia-Greene Community College. A little friendly competition amongst the five capital region community colleges is always a good time!
Who do you most want to enjoy a meal with when it’s safe to do so again?
Maybe Reese Harrison, our Student Senate president, or even Hudson Valley’s president, Dr. Ramsammy. He’s a busy guy, but he always makes time to catch up with us Vikings at Hudson Valley —the students and the mascots.
What has your school done best to get through 2020 and be ready for 2021?
I think my favorite thing has been how Hudson Valley has given back to others; that’s what we do best. During the pandemic, our students, faculty, staff and alumni have helped our community out in so many ways. I’m really proud of my fellow Vikings for how they have stepped up to be there for others during such a difficult time for everyone. I know even when the pandemic is over, that’s something that we will keep doing.
Share your favorite joke.
Here’s a good one: How do Viking ships communicate with each other???
Answer: NORSE code!! Haha! Hmm… maybe this whole social distancing thing is starting to get to me!