By Amber Louis
TAMPA, Fla. — “Being Spartacus was more than a role; it was an honor that made me feel forever tied to the Spartan spirit,” said Praanshu Adiga, Class of ‘24 alum and international student, who took on the role of Spartacus, the University of Tampa’s mascot, typically known as Sparty.
Whether you’re moving in on your first day as a freshman, watching the 2024 NCAA championship-winning baseball team, or just attending a campus event, Spartacus — more often known as Sparty — is around to take pictures, give high-fives, and uplift school spirit. But behind the mascot is a student-led commitment that most may be unaware of.
In 1930, UTampa adopted the Spartan as its mascot, as its biggest rival at the time was the St. Petersburg College Trojans, according to tampaspartans.com. As of March 2016, UTampa updated a series of logos and took on a new look for Spartacus.
“We tabled for mascot tryouts during the Week of Welcome, where we asked students if they were interested in being Sparty,” said Ariana Brianstiter, director of sports marketing and promotions.
In the audition process, certain qualities are evaluated in applicants interested in being Sparty.
“Someone who has a lot of energy, someone who is more fun and outgoing with personality, someone who can dance, and someone with a lot of school spirit,” Brianstiter said, would make a student well-suited for the role.
Students who take on the job of being Sparty are required to follow two cardinal rules: keep the job a secret and stay quiet while in the suit.
“Keeping my identity as Spartacus a secret was definitely one of the hardest parts. It was such a cool honor, and naturally, I wanted to tell people. But I understood it was part of the job to remain anonymous, so I kept it to myself,” said Adiga.
“Students can be themselves because no one knows who they are,” said Sofia Marcus, a freshman sports marketing major and member of the swim club. The anonymous component of the job captures the essence of Sparty’s character, as the student is independent of the mascot.
“The moment I put on the suit, I wasn’t Praanshu anymore; I was Spartacus. I couldn’t speak or act like myself; I had to embody a strong, assertive Spartan full of energy and love for our community. Interacting with students never felt difficult because, in that role, I was treated like a campus celebrity. Everyone embraced Spartacus with excitement and joy,” said Adiga.
“All students want to take a picture — they get excited, and it brings happiness to students to see Sparty,” said Brianstiter.
Having Sparty appear at more campus events was part of President Dahlberg’s recent UT to UTampa initiative, along with the creation of UTampa’s chant and hand gesture, to bring school spirit levels up and boost involvement.
Photo courtesy of Chloe Reganato.
Sparty is available at an hourly rate for campus and off-campus events. Athletic marketing asks interested parties to fill out a request form at tampaspartans.com under the “Spartacus Request” tab. Students who take on the paid position of Sparty rotate between scheduled events along with their coworkers.
“Out of all the things I was involved with during my three years at UTampa, Spartacus was my absolute favorite,” said Adiga. “It was exciting, fun, and deeply meaningful to connect with students, spread positivity, and share our school spirit. The love and energy I received in return made every moment worth it.”
For more information about where to find Sparty and what he’s up to, check out the official TikTok and Instagram, @spartacus_utampa.
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Thumbnail photo courtesy of Praanshu Adiga.