Students celebrate their UTA pride during Homecoming 1983. On the wall behind them is Sam Maverick, the University's longest-running mascot. Sam, who became the official mascot in 1972, remained in place until 2007, when the student body decided that Blaze would be a more inclusive figure. While UTA has seen many mascots over the years, the most unusual might be the Grubbworm—a moniker we held from 1917-21, which was derived from UTA's name at the time—Grubb's Vocational College.
1983
