Indiana’s Most Unique High School Mascots
At this point, we have all seen Nate try to name every high school mascot in Indiana on our timelines. And there’s a good reason for it!
Indiana is home to some of the most unique and creative high school mascots in the country. From sports-themed to historically inspired, these mascots tell the stories of their communities in the most fun and memorable ways.
Here are the 10 most unique high school mascots from across the Hoosier State, in our opinion, of course. If you have one we missed, let us know!
1. Northeast Dubois Jeeps 💙
The Northeast Dubois Jeeps got their name from a bit of comic strip inspiration. Back in 1936, the school’s basketball team loved the "Popeye" comic strip character Eugene the Jeep, who only ever says "Jeep, Jeep, Jeep." Since then, the Jeep has been the school’s beloved mascot, paying homage to the quirky character.
2. Delphi Community Oracles 🏛️
The Oracle of Delphi was one of the most significant shrines in ancient Greece, and Delphi, Indiana honors that legacy with a mascot worthy of mythological status. The Oracles are a nod to ancient wisdom and mystery, making their mascot both unique and intellectually intriguing.
3. Speedway Sparkplugs 🔌
It only makes sense that Speedway High School, located near the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, would have a racecar-themed mascot. The Sparkplugs are the only high school team in the country with the name, per the MascotDB team-name database, and it ties neatly into the high-speed environment next door. The teams have backed up the name, too: Speedway won IHSAA state titles in boys basketball in 2002 and softball in 2018 (Wikipedia, 2026).
4. Frankfort Hot Dogs 🌭
Who doesn’t love a good hot dog? Frankfort High School embraced its town’s German heritage and annual Hot Dog Festival by adopting a mascot that pays homage to this classic treat. Despite the name, the mascot is a snarling dachshund, not a real hot dog, adding a bit of spice to the traditional snack. In the words of Jennifer Coolidge in the movie Legally Blonde, “That makes me want a hot dog real bad!”
5. Jimtown Jimmies 🚂
The "Jimmie" is a classic nickname for a railroad worker, which makes sense considering Jimtown’s location near a rail yard. The Jimmies have long been associated with the hardworking spirit of railroad workers, and it’s a nickname that’s hard to forget…just like their mascot.
6. Andrean Fighting 59ers 🥊
Not to be confused with the 49ers from the American Gold Rush, Andrean High School’s mascot gets its name from a blend of historical significance and numerical pride. Founded in 1959 and located at 5959 Broadway, the "59ers" represent the school’s founding year and address in one punchy name.
7. Madison-Grant Argylls 🏴
Named after the Argyll region of Scotland, the Argylls might have one of the more unique mascot names on this list. While the name might sound like something out of a crossword puzzle, it’s rooted in Scottish heritage and gives a nod to the school's pride in its ancestry.
8. Rising Sun Shiners 🌅
The Shiners have a bright, sunny name that reflects the city’s starry moniker, Rising Sun. While "Shiner" can also refer to a black eye, the mascot here takes a more literal approach, inspired by the radiant sunrise over the Ohio River. The logo, featuring a bright sun, represents the town’s vibrant energy.
9. Shoals Jug Rox 🪨
Shoals High School’s mascot, the Jug Rox, is named after a natural sandstone formation known as Jug Rock. This impressive rock formation in Shoals, the largest free-standing table rock formation in the country east of the Mississippi River (Wikipedia, 2026), has been turned into the school’s mascot, affectionately called “Roxer Boxer.” It’s a name that’s as strong and memorable as the rock itself.
(Explore more in our Shoals spotlight).
10. Martinsville Artesians 💦
Named after the town's historical roots in artesian wells, Martinsville’s mascot is the Artesian, symbolizing the town’s rich water supply and natural resources. Artesians are known for their strength and reliability, much like the water that has historically fueled the local economy and the growth of the community. This mascot represents both resilience and a deep connection to the earth, celebrating the artesian wells that have played such a vital role in the area’s development.
Why so many of these names trace back to basketball
Dig into the origins and a pattern shows up. A lot of Indiana’s mascot pride runs straight through its gyms. The most famous small-school story in the state belongs to the Milan Indians, the 161-student school that beat 1,600-student Muncie Central 32-30 for the 1954 single-class state title on Bobby Plump’s last-second jumper. We drove down and wrote about it in our Milan travel guide, and that real 1954 run is the story the 1986 film Hoosiers is built on.
The movie’s fictional Hickory Huskers played their home games at the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, a working 1921 gymnasium that still hosts more than 100 high school games a year and draws about 80,000 visitors from all 50 states annually. We toured it in person for our Hoosier Gym guide. Stand at center court there and the names on this list stop feeling random. In a state this serious about high school basketball, a town is going to put its industry or its geography right on the front of the jersey.
Honorable mentions: more unusual Indiana mascots
Ten was never going to cover it. A few more Hoosiers love to argue about:
Vincennes Lincoln Alices. The team name comes from Alice of Old Vincennes, Maurice Thompson’s 1900 Revolutionary War novel set in the city and centered on an orphan named Alice Roussillon (Wikipedia, 2026). The book was the second best-selling novel in the United States in 1901, and Vincennes leaned in hard enough to briefly bill itself as “Alicetown.”
Hobart Brickies. Around 1935 the Lake County school took its name from the brickyards that shipped Hobart-made brick across the Midwest (School City of Hobart, 2026). The mascot is a hard-working brickmason named “Yohan Petrovich,” a name a 1942 senior wrote on a class roster as a prank that never went away.
Washington Hatchets. Down in Daviess County, Washington High School sends out the Hatchets, a nod to the George Washington cherry-tree legend. Their gym has been called the “Hatchet House” since 1925 (Washington Community Schools, 2026).
From literary history to racecars and everything in between, Indiana’s high school mascots are as diverse and interesting as the state itself. Each one tells a story that’s unique to its community and brings a little extra pride to the students, teachers, and fans who cheer them on.
Which one of the 10 we listed is your favorite?
