Published March 18, 2026

Meet the Students Powering NYU Pride as the Bobcat Mascot

Staff Writer

Athletics Student Voices

On NYU game days, the energy doesn’t just come from the court—it also arrives in the form of a jersey-wearing feline whose contagious enthusiasm hypes students on and off the court. While the NYU Bobcat may not speak, its presence says everything.

Behind the fur suit are students like Emma Lenkov, a junior majoring in Dramatic Writing, and Anashe Ufumaka, a first-year Sport Management major. They help turn NYU sporting events and campus traditions into moments of connection and school pride.

@nyuniversity

bob is SERVING💜#nyuniversity

♬ Water by Monroe Versace – renni

A “Side Quest” That Took Center Stage

For Emma, becoming the NYU Bobcat began as “a fun side quest” after she spotted the job posting on the career platform Handshake. With a background in performance, the interview process felt natural. Soon enough, she was suited up and ready to go. “There’s something freeing about it,” she says. “You give your all in a position regardless of how silly it feels.”

Anashe’s path was less conventional. While working at the Paulson Center gym, a supervisor asked him to fill in as the Bobcat for a photoshoot celebrating the mascot’s return to NYU Athletics. The shoot quickly turned into an informal audition. “I went around and interacted with people in the gym while waiting,” he says. “My supervisors said I did a great job and wanted me to do it at the games.”

@nyuniversity

Bobcat Big Guy Pants Ok 🧽😼 #nyu #bigguy #dance

♬ original sound – Paramount Pictures Philippines – Paramount Pictures Philippines

Life Inside the Suit

Wearing the NYU Bobcat costume does come with some unexpected surprises. While Emma finds the suit “extremely cozy,” Anashe admits the hardest part is staying silent. “It’s kind of hard to stay quiet when people are talking to you and asking questions,” he says. “I didn’t realize mascots weren’t allowed to talk, which is part of why we have handlers.”

The silence, however, opens the door for creativity. Emma has recently been breaking out a dance from SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best Day Ever, while Anashe keeps things grounded with a friendly “roar” pose for photos. “I like to move around like a normal person to make the mascot more relatable,” he explains.

View this post on Instagram

Game Days, Campus Traditions, and Unexpected Moments

While the NYU Bobcat appears across campus and in TikToks, both students agree that athletic events are where the role truly shines. “The energy is so electric,” says Anashe, especially at basketball games. “As a huge sports fan, I find myself really immersed with the crowd and the game.” Emma’s favorite appearances are outdoor events because “dogs love the Bobcat.”

Some moments linger long after the event ends. Anashe recalls a basketball coach’s young son who waved at the Bobcat, then burst into tears when the mascot waved back. Emma remembers meeting an alum at an event who revealed he had been the Bobcat himself back in the 1980s.

The NYU Bobcat posing for a photo in an athletics facility.

More Than a Mascot

Beyond school spirit, the job offers real-world skills. For Anashe, it’s direct experience in fan engagement, which is an essential part of a career in sport management. Emma points to lessons in resilience, presence, and a willingness to embrace silliness, all of which she plans to carry into future performance opportunities. Most importantly, both hope the NYU Bobcat helps people feel connected to the University.

“I hope people feel a sense of belonging when they see the Bobcat,” Anashe says. “It’s a symbol of the NYU community as a whole.” Emma echoes that sentiment, describing the role as “a way of embracing the roots of NYU”—one wave, dance, and silent cheer at a time.