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After retiring its former mascot earlier this year, Valparaiso University in Indiana announced Tuesday it was changing its team name to the Beacons, ESPN reported.
University officials scrapped the former name "Crusaders" in February because it was linked to hate groups, including the Ku Klux Klan. Since then, students, employees and alumni have suggested more than 1,000 potential names.
Beacons ultimately won out, in part because it draws from the university's motto "in thy light we see light," José D. Padilla, president of Valparaiso, said in a statement.
"We are beacons of knowledge for our students' academic, social and spiritual growth. Above all, we are beacons of God's light around the world. We light the way for our students, so that once they graduate, they shine their light for others," Padilla said.
The new name and related merchandise and imagery will be rolled out during the 2021-22 academic year.
