100 years ago today, the first edition of The Triangle celebrated a basketball victory by the Blue and Gold. There was no mention of a dragon as the school had no official mascot, so students were known simply as the Engineers. The turning point came in 1928, when The Triangle referred to the football team as the Drexel Dragons.
By 1929, the Dragon had made its debut at Drexel events, and a year later, a rejuvenated version of the Dragon was unveiled. A Nov. 7, 1930, article by The Triangle described this new mascot. “When the liquid comes in contact with the air, a dense smoke is formed, resembling the traditional fiery breath of the historic monsters. The scaly body has been slightly altered by a new coat of paint in order to meet the demands of the coming onslaught” (see Photo 1).
Photo 1. The Triangle, 1930
For several decades, Drexel’s Dragon appeared in various constructed forms rather than as a costumed character. Early dragons were often handmade, carried, or displayed during pep rallies and campus events. The first known instance of a student physically inside the mascot came in the 1970s. A 1974 photograph published in The Lexerd, Drexel’s long-standing yearbook, captures this shift, showcasing a blue dragon wearing a Drexel sweater with a large “D” on the front. While a bit terrifying, this first version of the mascot transitioned the Dragon into a moving presence capable of interacting with crowds and getting the Dragons pumped up (see Photo 2).
Photo 2. The Lexard, 1974
Throughout the 1980s, the Dragon’s appearance continued to change as costume design and athletic branding became more sophisticated. Images from The Lexerd in 1989 show refinements in the Dragon’s proportions and materials, signaling an increased institutional commitment to its role at athletic events. This Dragon appears bulkier and more similar to the one we have today. You can clearly see the student in this costume via their shoes (see Photo 3).
Photo 3. The Lexard, 1989
By 1990, the Dragon had become a more consistent presence across campus traditions, coinciding with the installation of an early Dragon statue similar to the one that resides on campus today (see Photo 4). The Dragon had evolved once more, now with a cropped sweater that says “Drexel Dragon”, exaggerated teeth, big claws, and wings. A 1996 photograph from this era shows a dynamic moment at a basketball game when the Dragon waves a flag energetically in the stands. This image captures the Dragon as both a symbol of school spirit and a performer, bringing us to the interactive and crowd-engaging mascot we know today (see Photo 5).
Photo 4. The Lexard, 1990
Photo 5. The Triangle, 1996
Despite decades of visibility and performance, the Dragon itself remained unnamed for much of the twentieth century. That changed in 1997, when The Triangle reported that the mascot was officially named Mario the Magnificent. The name honored Mario V. Mascioli ‘45, a devoted alumnus whose lifelong loyalty to Drexel athletics exemplified the spirit the Dragon was meant to represent. This act of naming marked another turning point, transforming the mascot from a generic figure into a personality with a defined identity and legacy (see Photo 6).
Photo 6. The Triangle, 1997
The evolution culminated in 2002 with the unveiling of the new Dragon statue and mascot, documented by The Triangle that same year. Larger and more permanent than its predecessor, the statue cemented the Dragon as a lasting symbol of Drexel pride (see Photo 7).
Photo 7. The Triangle, 2002
Photo 8. The Triangle, 2002
By the mid-2000s, Drexel athletics and student life were undergoing a period of modernization, and the Dragon we know and love today was born officially in 2008 (see Photo 8). This cartoonish and playful-looking Mario remains an iconic presence that you can find at today’s basketball games or simply walking around campus enjoying a stroll.
Photo 8. The Triangle, 2026
100 years after we first documented a basketball victory by the Blue and Gold, we are now documenting last week’s homecoming win by the Dragons, with Mario the Magnificent cheering us along the way (see Photo 9). From hand-painted wooden figures to fully costumed mascot performances, the Dragon has grown alongside Drexel itself. Here is to the next 100 years of the Dragon — or will we change once more?