The Brandeis Judges are living up to their name.

The University’s Athletics Department has unveiled a new judicial-inspired logo that will begin to appear on team apparel and athletics publications this academic year, starting with the program cover for the Sept. 1 women’s soccer game.

“We’re really excited about the new logo,” said Director of Athletics Sheryl Sousa. “We were looking for a way to rebrand the department more strongly, tying in with our unique Judges nickname.” The Department of Creative Services developed a primary logo that features a robed judge, gavel raised, peering over the Brandeis name. A large gavel is the centerpiece of the secondary mark. The text in both the primary and secondary logos can be customized for specific teams. “We’re giving the coaches freedom to identify with whichever of the variations work for them and for their team in different ways,” Sousa said. “But there is a continuity and consistency among them, which we haven’t had in the past.”

The new logo will also clear up some confusion about the University’s athletics identity. Brandeis sports fans, students, and alumni are no doubt familiar with the school’s mascot, Ollie the Owl, who regularly appears at sports and university events. Ollie, the creation of Stephen R. Silver '86, has never been an athletics-specific entity, although he led some opposing teams to think they were playing the Owls, rather than the Judges.

“These new logos send a clear and powerful message about who we are,” Sousa said. “We’re Brandeis. We’re the Judges.”