WuShock, Fighting-Mad Wheat

Wichita, Kansas

WuShock, goofy wheat stalk with fists-a-flying, is a sports mascot defying how one expects a heartland crop to behave.

WuShock was invented and named in 1948, combining the "Wu" of Wichita State University and the "Shock" of shocking (i.e. harvesting) wheat, which was something that many WSU students did during the summer months (Their sports teams are called the Shockers). Although he's evolved in appearance over the years, WuShock has always been memorable.

Apparently satisfied that WuShock had reached a perfect form, WSU commissioned an eight-foot-high bronze statue of the mascot, sculpted by Connie Ernatt and unveiled on September 15, 2020. It depicts WuShock as an angry, ambulatory bundle of wheat, wearing a WSU letter sweater and a grass skirt. He has big bare feet, a stalk of wheat clenched in his grimace, bulging muscles, and fists clenched and ready to throw a punch.