University of Tampa Introduces New, Updated Athletic Logos

The University of Tampa has introduced updated athletic logos to enhance, strengthen and unify the UT athletic and institutional brand.

The new logos include a Spartan head in profile and an updated "complete" Spartan head logo, which is derived from the Spartan head logo that was originally created in the early 1980s. 

"These are great additions to UT's identity," said Larry Marfise, athletic director. "The new Spartan looks proud, honorable and strong. It exactly characterizes what we expect of UT student athletes." 

The new Spartan logo and updated Spartan head logo are joined by the existing interlocking UT as UT's athletic identity. The interlocking UT, which received minor updating, has been in use for decades. 

The logos are accompanied by a new, more collegiate looking typeface for uniforms and athletic use. 

Designer Joe Bosack, of Pennsylvania-based Joe Bosack & Co., created the new visual identity. 
"UT already has a strong brand identity and a successful athletic program," Bosack said. "These provided a great foundation for developing additional brand assets that complement, unify and strengthen the Spartans' brand." 

The updated Spartan logos will also be prominently featured in UT's new Fitness and Recreation Center, which is under construction and is scheduled to be completed this summer. The updated athletic logos join the University's suite of institutional marks that include the Plant Hall logo, the single minaret and the wordmark. 

UT Spartan teams, which play in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC), have won 15 NCAA Division II national championships and 56 SSC titles since 2000. 

The University adopted the Spartan as a mascot in the early 1930s, when its athletic rival was St. Petersburg College, which had the nickname Trojans. The University's colors — which remain the same as red, black and gold — were derived from the colors of the two local high schools that existed when UT was founded — Plant High School (black and gold) and Hillsborough High School (red and black). 

There are approximately a dozen colleges and universities that have Spartans as a mascot.