all other varsity athletes in the department, including minimum GPA requirements, full course load, and other rules. The first female Handler joined the team in 1992. Females have had a strong presence in the program ever since. Initially, the students who ran with Ralphie were called "The Men Who Run with Ralphie." In 1970 the term for the students changed to Ralphie Runners, as a direct representation of the feat they did with Ralphie at each game. As the team and the program became more formalized and regulated, the term for the students became Ralphie Handlers in the late 1980s. The responsibilities and duties of the students on the team increased from just running with Ralphie to assisting in her overall care and maintenance, the reasoning behind changing their name from Ralphie Runners to Ralphie Handlers. Ralphie's Care Colorado Athletics and the Ralphie Live Mascot Program are proud of the care and treatment they provide to the buffalo who serves as Colorado's live mascot. Ralphie receives year-round, daily care from a family of "Ralphie" professionals who understand her needs. While the Ralphie Program demonstrates a positive relationship between humans and buffalo, this relationship has been established through knowledge, training, and experience. Ralphie's "herd" is her care team of coaches and Handlers, who are with her daily, along with another buffalo, her companion. Ralphie's Ranch She lives on a ranch in an undisclosed location to protect and provide Ralphie with the best living environment. Only current members of the Ralphie Program (coaches, Handlers, and her veterinarians) are permitted to visit the ranch. Ralphie, like all buffalo, adapts very well to the climate they live in. They have very efficient body mechanisms that allow them to cool themselves down during the hot and dry times of the year and keep themselves warm during the cold and wet winters. Buffalo thrive in all types of weather, from over 100-degree days with no clouds to well below zero with winter blizzards; they can handle all kinds of weather. Ralphie has large metal loafing sheds that allow her to get out of the weather; however, she prefers to be outside regardless of wind, rain, snow, ice, cold, or heat. In addition to the splendor of her natural environment, Ralphie's pasture is dotted with large scratching posts made of old street sweeper brushes donated to the Ralphie Program by the City of Boulder. She uses these