UTSA's first Rowdy, Tony Gonzalez, hatches from an egg during the university's first NCAA event in Nov. 1981.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Sombrilla Magazine, Spring 2013.
Oct. 11, 2019 — Before there was Rowdy, there was simply the roadrunner. And rallying the fans at UTSA’s first basketball game in 1981 from inside the stuffy bird suit was Antonio Gonzalez III, UTSA’s first mascot.
Getting the role for Gonzalez happened quite by accident. A check of his business administration degree requirements during his senior year revealed that Gonzalez still needed one semester of physical education to graduate. “I decided to take gymnastics,” the self-described class clown says. “I didn’t know at the time, but our instructor was going to be in charge of the cheerleaders and the mascot. One day she called me over and said, ‘I want you to try out for the mascot.’”
When Gonzalez asked what he would have to do, his instructor didn’t mince words. “She said, ‘I just want you to behave on the basketball court the way you do in my class,’” Gonzalez says. He followed that advice at tryouts and won the mascot role over a handful of other hopefuls.
⇒ Read the rest of this story and relive other memories from UTSA’s history as we celebrate UTSA’s 50th anniversary year.
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The Secular Student Alliance is proud to present guest speaker Dave Troiano, Board Secretary for the Greater Houston Chapter Americans United for Separation of Church and State. This event will emphasize how reproductive health care is intertwined with separation of church and state.
Student Union, Willow Room (2.02.12), Main CampusThis event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusJoin us for a tribute to Willie Velásquez, honoring the legacy of Willie Velásquez, a pivotal figure in shaping the history of Latino and Hispanic participation in the American voting process. Delve into his life and contributions as a champion of Latino voting rights. Moderated by UTSA's Teresa Niño, the event will feature influential voices, including Jane Velásquez, María Antonietta Berriozábal, Dora Oliva, and Anthony Gonzales.
Buena Vista Building, Gregory Luna Room, Downtown CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
