"A bobcat will fight you with everything he has; with four claws, teeth, speed and brains."
— Coach Oscar Strahan, TXST football and basketball head coach, 1919-1934
The bobcat, known for its fierceness and courage, was adopted by the university as its mascot in 1921. Texas State was the first college in the country to use this name for its athletic teams.
In 1964, the Texas State Bobcat was given the official name of "Boko" by Beth Greenlees, a sophomore from Luling, Texas, who won the "Name the Bobcat" contest. Her winning submission earned her a $5 prize and bragging rights for all eternity.
— Coach Oscar Strahan, TXST football and basketball head coach, 1919-1934