YoUDee

YoUDee (pronounced yoo-dee) is the official mascot of the University of Delaware. YoUDee is an androgynous “fighting Blue Hen” and is named after the state bird of Delaware.

According to the University of Delaware, YoUDee’s great-great-great-grandfather, Col. George W. YoUDee, distinguished himself in the American Revolutionary War and was cited for bravery in battle. Capt. John Caldwell, commenting after the Battle of Trenton, said, “There’s no yellow streak in that chicken. He’s blue to the bone.” Col. YoUDee was given a gold medal of valor, so blue and yellow-gold now serve as YoUDee’s official colors. The men in the company commanded by Captain Jonathan Caldwell actually carried Blue Hens with them into combat in order to hold cockfights in their spare time. It is said that the men under Capt. Caldwell fought so bravely that they were compared to their fighting blue hens.

YoUDee is 6 feet, 8 inches, from the soles of his blue and yellow sneakers to the top of his comb. YoUDee’s chest is 64 inches. YoUDee also has a wingspan of 6 feet, 1 inch and a tailspan of 5 feet, 6 inches. Careful breeding has produced beautiful plumage of PMS #300c blue feathers, particularly striking in YoUDee’s broad, sweeping tail. YoUDee wears Air YoUDees on its feet. YoUDee’s stylish size 28FF blue and yellow sneakers help it soar through the air with hangtime measured in minutes.

YoUDee was created by Real Characters Inc. (RCI) of Atlanta. Tom Sapp, chairman and creative director, was in charge of design. He also designed a line of YoUDee artwork for apparel and other items, on sale at the University Bookstore and other outlets. Real Character Productions Inc., an affiliate of RCI, handcrafted the three-dimensional mascot using Scott foam, Antron fleece, medical-quality plastics and a variety of special materials. Keith Bailey was the chief designer and led a design team including Chris Heine and Dixie Harris.

YoUDee won its first Universal Cheerleaders Association mascot national championship in 2001 and has won seven overall, its latest coming in 2017. YoUDee was inducted into the inaugural class of the Mascot Hall of Fame on August 16, 2006 in a ceremony at Philadelphia’s LOVE Park. YoUDee also participated in the Capital One Mascot Challenge in 2012.