The Tar Heels’ beloved ram mascot made his first appearance on campus 100 years ago this month.
What started as a way to cheer on a star football player became one of Carolina’s most lasting traditions.
Rameses, the beloved ram mascot, made his first appearance at a Tar Heels football game in November 1924. Now, 100 years and 22 Rameses later, the mascot is an enduring presence on campus.
Carolina celebrated 100 years of Rameses Feb. 19. Tar Heels came out to the Pit to partake in the festivities, take pictures and hear from Interim Chancellor Lee H. Roberts, who remarked that although he's a ram, Rameses is the GOAT of mascots.
What began in the late '80s with Eric Chilton donning the very first Rameses costume has grown into a now-treasured tradition carried on by students today.
Learn the story behind one of Carolina's most iconic Tar Heels.
Graduating senior Hannah King grew up on a sheep farm in rural North Carolina, and when she got to Chapel Hill, she realized there was a high-profile role that she was perfectly qualified for: caring for Rameses XXII.