LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — Oregon has the duck, Wisconsin has Bucky Badger, and LSU has Mike the Tiger. And now UL students are embracing the campaign for their next face of the university: Albineaux “Al” Boudreaux

Cory St. Ewart, the designer of Albineaux, said, “I’ve spent months researching and conceptualizing and crafting. Then I commissioned a local artist to create this image of Albineaux.”

Albineaux “Al” Boudreaux was designed with the hopes of finally bringing the missing component to UL’s campus and gameday experience.

“For Ragin Cajuns the Louisiana brand means everything,” St. Ewart said. “Having a physical embodiment of that spirit and pride and something to be proud of is pretty important to us.”

St. Ewart said the love for his university is seen in every detail, from Al’s Cajundome hat to the specific decision of why he’s an albino alligator.

“Our school colors are vermillion and white, and albino alligators are white with red eyes,” St. Ewart said. “Older Ragin Cajun fans really liked the previous Cajun Man mascot, one of the more identical parts of his design was the pinstripes on his chest, so Al is wearing pinstripe pants.”

Even Al’s last name was picked for a reason.

“I absolutely love Boudreaux and Thibodeaux jokes, so I thinks that one of the deep Cajun lore aspects of it,” St. Ewart said.

In the two days since Al’s campaign began, St. Ewart said the feedback from the community has surpassed his expectations.

“I couldn’t have imagined just how widespread and how successful these past two days have been,” St. Ewart said. “This is an invitation to being included in creating the mascot and I think that’s very beautiful. That’s something we haven’t had before in the Lafayette community.”

With the success of Al’s campaign, St. Ewart hopes this will open the door to communication with the university to make Albineaux “Al” Boudreaux the new face of the Ragin Cajuns.