ating ▁with ▁R uf us ▁ro aring ▁into ▁P eden ▁Stadium ▁on ▁a ▁Har ley - David son ▁motor cycle . ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁coinc iding ▁with ▁a ▁space ▁conference ▁being ▁held ▁on ▁campus , ▁R uf us ▁the ▁Bob cat ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁college ▁mas cot ’ s ▁name ▁to ▁vent ure ▁into ▁deep ▁outer ▁space ▁ab o ard ▁an ▁un mann ed ▁NASA ▁space craft , ▁ ▁carrying ▁a ▁CD ▁library ▁of ▁names . ▁ ▁N omen cl ature ▁▁ ▁In ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Ohio ▁University ▁al umn us ▁Michael ▁A ▁Mass a , ▁a ▁communic ations ▁gradu ate , ▁p enn ed ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁the ▁athlet ics ▁department ▁suggesting ▁that ▁the ▁university ▁provide ▁a ▁proper ▁name ▁and ▁identity ▁to ▁the ▁generic ▁b ob cat ▁mas cot , ▁for ▁brand ing ▁purposes . ▁The ▁university ▁Athlet ic ▁Department ▁then ▁held ▁a ▁campus - wide ▁competition ▁to ▁select ▁a ▁formal ▁name . ▁There ▁were ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 0 0 ▁subm issions ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Bob cat ▁in ▁May . ▁F ans ▁then ▁participated ▁in ▁a ▁naming ▁contest ▁on ▁www . oh io b ob c ats . com ▁from ▁June ▁through ▁August , ▁the ▁chosen ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁Bob c ats ' ▁new ▁mas cot ▁was ▁R uf us . ▁ ▁The ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁naming ▁contest , ▁A lic ia ▁Lag ana ▁( ‘ BS J ▁ 9 0 , ▁MS ▁‘ 9 2 , ▁now