Ramses in touch with feminine side

The crowd cheers as Ramses runs enthusiastically through the stands at the NCAA women’s basketball tournament in Arizona.

Small children run to the furry mascot for photographs and hugs.

Inside the sweltering suit is junior Stephanie Wheeler, one of the few women to play the role of the traditionally male Ramses.

“That was my first plane ride ever and my first championship,” she said of the game against Arizona State in March. “It was an amazing experience.”

Two years ago, Wheeler saw a flier for mascot auditions and decided to try out.

“I thought it would be really fun and crazy,” she said.

When choosing a new mascot, the head mascot looks for qualities such as enthusiasm, reliability and an ability to entertain, said cheerleading coach Brown Walters.

Wheeler’s bubbly personality helped her get chosen for the position. She now works with sophomore Jason Ray and the head mascot, senior Scott Jansen.

Although Jansen had the privilege of serving at the men’s NCAA championship basketball game, the three generally share the workload. Mascots cover athletic events as well as public appearances and charity events.

“We pretty much split all the events evenly,” Wheeler said. “We let everyone do their share.”

The majority of students to wear the Ramses costume have been male, but Wheeler is not necessarily the first woman.

“I’ve actually heard that I’m the first a lot, but I don’t think that I am,” she said. “I think there might have been another girl about nine years ago.”

Neither Walters nor Michael Beale, director of marketing for UNC athletics, know exactly how many women preceded Wheeler, but they did not know of any in the recent past.

“She’s the first female since I’ve been here,” said Walters, who has coached at UNC for the past eight years.

No one really knows why Ramses, UNC’s mascot since 1924, is usually played by a man, but Beale and Walters agree that Wheeler has more than proven herself.

“No one on the outside knows if it’s a male or a female,” Beale said. “They just know if it’s a good mascot or a bad mascot.”

Walters said he thinks men and women are equally qualified.

“We just want the best, and Stephanie has done a tremendous job,” he said.

The role of the mascot is vital to maintaining the spirit of the fans, Walters said.

Wheeler said she takes her job seriously and does her best to pump up the crowd.

“You have to keep everybody positive, no matter what’s going on,” she said.

Her interest in performing reaches beyond her mascot responsibilities. She has modeled for the past seven years and has some acting experience.

Wheeler, a communications major in the performance division, said she has called on these skills in her work.

“Ramses himself is a character and is a male,” she said. “It does take a lot of acting.”

Wheeler also said she thrives on the excitement of the games.

“You’re right there in the middle of it all,” she said. “It’s the biggest rush.”

In addition to raising spirits, Ramses must uphold University values, Walters said. Mascots learn to avoid inappropriate behavior, such as raising fighting gestures toward the other team.

“I get to see a lot of mascots from other universities when we travel, and I really think we have one of the strongest groups representing us,” Walters said.

With a recent national championship under the team’s belt, it is an exciting time to represent the Tar Heels, Wheeler said.

“We’re just on top of the world right now.”

Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.