Suddenly, an elephant climbs over a six-foot-tall ... Where she once wore the cartoonish costume shoes of most mascots, she now sports fresh pairs of Nikes (per a request from her performer).

Even the mascot name has a cute little backstory. “Ellie is short for elephant, of course ... What bigger bestowal can the person inside the costume long for? Like our content?

Ellie the Elephant isn’t your everyday pachyderm ... her fresh manicure’s helped “Ellie-vate the glam,” the mascot says confidence is the ultimate accessory, both on-court and off.

Whether a live mascot or a student in a costume, the mascot's job is to inspire ... while others, like an elephant for the Crimson Tide (Alabama) or a tree for the Cardinal (Stanford) make you ...