Newark’s Fighting Blue Hen — The Mascot Factory Behind Clutch, Swoop, and Poe
Newark, DE · Various Sports
★Mascot Hall of Fame — Class of 2006
| Team / Organization | University of Delaware |
|---|---|
| Location | Newark, DE |
| League / Division | NCAA (CAA) |
| First Debuted | 1993 (modern costumed YoUDee program; Blue Hen tradition dates to 1950; UD adopted the Blue Hen as mascot in 1911) |
| Species / Type | Fighting Blue Hen (the Delaware state bird; officially androgynous) |
| Best Known For | Gateway to professional mascot careers (Clutch, Swoop, Poe); inaugural 2006 Hall class; ESPN News national TV appearances |
| Year Inducted | 2006 |
Profile
YoUDee is Delaware’s iconic Fighting Blue Hen — the state bird with a Revolutionary War legacy. The men of Captain Jonathan Caldwell’s Delaware regiment famously brought blue hen chickens into battle during the American Revolution for cockfighting entertainment, and their ferocious fighting spirit became the state’s signature. The modern YoUDee program has become a genuine pipeline for professional mascot talent.
Fun Facts
- The original YoUDee performer, Robert Boudwin, went on to create and perform as Clutch the Bear for the Houston Rockets — a direct lineage between the University of Delaware mascot program and one of the NBA’s most beloved characters.
- YoUDee is officially declared ‘androgynous’ by the University of Delaware — neither male nor female — making them one of the few mascots in college sports to hold that designation.
- In 1997, Newsweek listed YoUDee as one of the ‘16 worst college mascots in the nation.’ By 2005, YoUDee was starring in a nationwide ESPN News advertisement. The glow-up was complete.
