Mascot Madness 2023
March 8, 2023
As is customary, and similar to the annual NCAA March Madness basketball tournament, Mascot Madness begins on Wednesday, March 15 and is broken down into five rounds.
Voting takes place online at www.suny.edu/mascotmadness/. Check in every round for access to voting tools and to make your voice heard.
2023 Q and A with the Viking
Who are you and where are you from?
I am Victor the Viking! After jumping ship on a North American voyage hundreds of years ago, I froze in an iceberg that traveled up the Hudson River to Troy, New York. I proudly represent Hudson Valley Community College, the Capital Region's largest community college.
How long have you been doing this mascot thing?
Hudson Valley was founded in 1953, and the student body voted me in as our official mascot shortly thereafter! It’s hard to believe that I have proudly represented the college for nearly 70 years now!!! Go Vikings!!!
What is your off-season training composed of?
I like to stay active by taking some of the fitness courses at Hudson Valley. Some of my favorites include Body Conditioning, HI-LO Impact Aerobics and Zumba. What a workout!
What is your favorite unique course to take at your school?
Hudson Valley offers an exceptional Welding and Fabrication program, and the unique curriculum includes courses in areas like CAD, metrology and metallurgy. Those are some of my favorites. Plus, students have the opportunity to use new virtual reality welding simulators in the labs. Pretty cool!
What New York landmark would you love to see be the host of your school’s next big game?
Well, if not at home at the Joe Bruno Stadium at campus, I think it’d be awesome to have a game at MVP Arena in Albany, New York, right here in the Capital Region and around the corner from SUNY. The arena is well-known for hosting a wide range of fantastic events and shows and can hold up to 15,500 fans for sporting events. Now that would be a big crowd!
Which of your school’s alumni would be the best sidekick to your mascot duties?
It’s hard to pick from so many amazing alums, but I would have to go with John Gray ’83. He is an evening news anchor for News Channel 10 and a terrific writer and journalist. During his time at the Hudson Valley, John was the editor of the college’s newspaper, and over the last several years, he has collaborated with the college for many events. John would be a great sidekick because his writing and public speaking skills could really help me prepare for upcoming games! And, well, maybe I could meet his amazing dogs too!
One song to make an entrance to —what is it (and why)?
I think “Sirius” by The Alan Parsons Project would be a cool song to make an entrance to. This instrumental piece has become especially popular at sporting events and is a notable song played at Chicago Bulls home games. The song’s upbeat tone would totally get the players, the Viking fans and myself ready for any big game!