Stanford saw its 2025 college basketball season come to an end in the quarterfinal round of the ACC Tournament. However, its mascot will stick around through the weekend to partake in various mascot-related activities. I don’t know what that entails but it sounds electric.
All of the mascots are currently gathered together in Charlotte for the shenanigans, which led to a hilarious bathroom-related situation during the game on Thursday afternoon. They pulled a switcheroo!
Stanford University’s official mascot is the Cardinal. The color, not the bird. In other words, it is the Stanford Shade of Red. Technically speaking…
Unofficially speaking, Stanford’s mascot is the Tree. The Tree first came to exist in 1975 as the official mascot of the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band. Although the evergreen tree costume gets a makeover prior to every college football season, it always looks more or less the same.
All of this goes to say that Stanford’s unofficial mascot is awesome. The Tree, which was in attendance for the ACC Tournament, is never not dancing.
Thoughts on Stanford’s mascot, @bySamMostow? pic.twitter.com/yk7M8Y0Ndv
— Miles Jordan (@Miles_Jordan_) March 13, 2025
It was (momentarily) played by a Hurricane on Thursday! I am thoroughly impressed by the investigative reporting that took place later that evening. ACC reporters were on the case.
The saga started when the cheer team took the court to perform alongside the Tree during a timeout, but something was not right. The Tree was wearing sweatpants branded with the logo of Miami. Not neutral colors. Not Stanford. It was the University of Miami’s famous ‘U.’
Somebody needs to explain to me why the Stanford tree is wearing Miami Hurricanes sweatpants. #goacc pic.twitter.com/EqlAyd7KID
— Josh Graham (@JoshGrahamShow) March 13, 2025
Why? Good question.
The Stanford student who serves as the Tree needed to use the bathroom. She got the person who typically wears the Iris costume for the Hurricanes to tag in and pinch-hit for that specific timeout!
a girls gotta pee on these long days 😭 you’ll notice this tree makes a lotta maple syrup
— Stanford Tree 🌲 (@DaStanfordTree) March 14, 2025
If not for the sweatpants, I never would’ve known! Miami’s mascot did a great job in her place.
This is absolute gold … a dancing tree!!! pic.twitter.com/v0xFCyEOsx
— BFriedACC (@BFriedACC) March 13, 2025
The Stanford Tree won’t stop dancing. Not even a trip to the bathroom can prevent the legendary mascot from shaking its branches! Shoutout to Miami’s mascot for the assist. He or she nailed it.