Our Newest Fan: Larrie the Bulldog!

A look around Lawrenceville’s campus and reveals a beautiful, historic expanse, the gleaming new field house, and a sense of academic rigor to rival anyone. But one thing has been missing – a mascot.

Not anymore. Lawrentians met their school’s new biggest fan, Larrie the bulldog, in April.

“Lawrenceville’s philosophy of dependability and perseverance manifests itself in Larrie,” said Tripp Welborne H’58 P’21 ’24, dean of athletics and co-curricular education. “Like a dog going after a bone, you can count on Lawrentians to never give up!”

Larrie’s official design was based on a range of student art concepts and a survey of students and faculty led to a vote on the name of the dog.

The feisty-but-friendly bulldog does not replace Big Red as the name of Lawrenceville’s athletic teams. Rather, Larrie is like “Rameses,” the ram that cheers on the North Carolina Tar Heels, or “Big Al,” the elephant that represents the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide. Lawrenceville has long used a bulldog as an informal athletic symbol.

The name “Larrie” isn’t unfamiliar to the School. The first reference to Lawrenceville student-athletes as “Larries” goes back to a 1948 mention in the now-defunct Newark News and, by 1955, The Lawrence was regularly referring to teams by this moniker. The name pays homage to Lawrenceville’s past while reflecting the characteristics of today’s community.