Did you know that for a time Kenyon teams were the Pioneers? And that before Ladies caught on in the 1970s, Lordettes was occasionally used? The history of monikers — names, not mascots — goes all the way back to the Mauve in the 1800s.
1880s
The “Mauve” – Kenyon’s official color until the early twentieth century
1903
Primarily “Kenyon”
1920s
“Kenyon” or the “Mauve” (or, occasionally, the “Purple,” or the “Purple and White”)
1930s
Increasing use of “Purple” or “Purple and White”
1936
First use of “Lords” nickname in Collegian, in regard to football game vs. Alfred Holbrook College (late of Manchester, Ohio)
1940
First use of “Lords” nickname in Reveille, occasionally referred to as “Fighting Lords”
1940
Kenyon debuts a new sport, lacrosse, with a team dubbed the “Pioneers” by Ohio newspapermen. The Pioneers take the Midwest championship with victories over Oberlin College and the University of Michigan.
1973
A Collegian article refers to the Kenyon’s women’s lacrosse team members as the “Lordettes” but the “Ladies” is taken up instead.
“Some of you may welcome this news, or even be indifferent to it, sensing that our feudal titles never spoke adequately to the grit of our athletes. Yet we also know that some may feel differently. Regardless of the outcome of this process, those who identify strongly with the Lords and Ladies monikers are welcome to continue to use them with pride, as they will always belong to your time here as a student.”