des igned ▁and ▁given ▁a ▁new ▁cost ume ▁and ▁name . ▁The ▁name ▁" P et ey " ▁was ▁chosen ▁as ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁St . ▁Peter ▁Can is ius , ▁who ▁Can is ius ▁College ▁is ▁named ▁for . ▁ ▁Can is ius ' ▁golden ▁gr iff in ▁has ▁been ▁called ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁unusual ▁of ▁all ▁NCAA ▁mas c ots . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁after ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁William ▁& ▁Mary ▁adopted ▁the ▁Griff in ▁as ▁their ▁new ▁school ▁mas cot , ▁Pet ey ▁" w rote " ▁a ▁sat ir ical ▁open ▁letter ▁to ▁the ▁William ▁& ▁Mary ▁gr iff in ▁that ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁USA ▁Today , ▁wel coming ▁the ▁new ▁gr iff in ▁mas cot ▁to ▁the ▁college ▁mas cot ▁community . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁Catholic ▁website ▁B usted ▁H alo ▁held ▁a ▁March ▁Mad ness - style ▁competition ▁to ▁determine ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁" Best ▁Catholic ▁M asc ot " ▁through ▁online ▁voting . ▁Pet ey ▁won ▁the ▁online ▁tournament , ▁best ing ▁a ▁field ▁of ▁ 3 2 ▁Catholic ▁school ▁mas c ots , ▁including ▁Notre ▁D ame ' s ▁Le pre cha un ▁and ▁Boston ▁College ' s ▁Bald win ▁the ▁E agle . ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁Pet ey ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁Final ▁ 4 ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁B usted ▁H alo ▁contest , ▁but ▁was ▁ultimately ▁defeated ▁by ▁I gg y ▁the ▁Royal ▁Wolf ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Sc r anton .