Woman to serve as Notre Dame leprechaun mascot for the first time

Notre Dame Lynnette Wukie is making history next school year.

On Tuesday, the university announced its class of leprechauns for the 2019-20 school year dubbing it “the most diverse roster set to take the field.”

Wukie will be the first female leprechaun since it became the school’s official mascot in 1965.

Fellow sophomore Conal Fagan and junior Samuel Jackson round out the leprechaun class. Per the university’s announcement, Wukie and Jackson will become the second and third African Americans to hold the role.

Fagan will serve in his second season and is the first native Irishman to play the part of leprechaun. He is a native of Derry, Northern Ireland.

An inspiration to all backgrounds

Head cheer coach Delayna Herndon told the university, “As such a visible representative of Notre Dame, the leprechaun is a role model to fans across the country, and we hope this group can inspire people of all backgrounds to see themselves as a vital part of the Notre Dame family."

In her application Wukie noted, “Who says the Fighting Irish can't fight like a girl?”

Speaking to Notre Dame about the opportunity Wukie said, “This is what I'm meant to be doing. … My rector told me, 'Little girls are going to want to be you,' so to be that role model for young women is really special."

Samuel credited Mike Brown, the university’s first African American leprechaun, as inspiration for his application. Jackson also noted his desire “to make my own experiences and memories here at this University and to be able to represent it.”

A rigorous process

Per the IndyStar, the process for becoming a leprechaun is a rigorous one. Applicants must participate in a mock pep rally, a media session, a two-minute impromptu skit, a pushup contest and a private interview.

Ten people serve as judges for the applicants and are made up of former mascots, athletic department members and cheerleading coaches.

The university decides on three leprechauns who are then broken into three roles, gold (first team), blue (second team) and green (third team). The gold leprechaun is the one typically at football games. All leprechauns participate in community service and campus events.

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