Archbishop Ryan High School
In the fall of 2024, Archbishop Ryan High School began a process to reintroduce a school mascot, something our community hadn’t seen in years. The goal was to reflect who we are today while honoring the legacy that shaped us.
This was a community-wide effort. Throughout the year, students from all grades involved in many different activities joined together in multiple focus groups to share their ideas and perspectives. Faculty, coaches, alumni, and parents joined them in shaping a vision for who we are today.
While the Raider and Ragdoll characters were retired in 2020, their names have remained part of our school spirit. We considered a full rebrand, but the community’s message was clear: the legacy of the Raider and Ragdoll matters. It’s part of who we are.
Today, we proudly introduce a bold, unified identity that honors our tradition while representing our vision. The new Raider and Ragdoll stand as defenders of our values. They wear wings, symbolizing our Catholic faith and are a nod to the headdress of the original Raider. Their Celtic-inspired armor includes knotwork belts and a buckle modeled after Archbishop Patrick John Ryan’s cross from the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia. Keeping both male and female figures honors the legacy of our co-ed school. Their hoods reference the Franciscans that served our school for decades after its founding, while also modernizing the idea of a Raider. The original Ragdoll character is referenced through a signature red yarn braid. Their masked faces allow every student to see themselves reflected in these mascots.
While these new mascots reference and honor our past, they are also something entirely new. They’re not Angels, Warriors, or Guardians. They are the Archbishop Ryan Raider and Ragdoll. They were designed by our students, for our students, as something unique to them and to our school. They resemble each other because they represent a unified front: we are Raiders and Ragdolls, but we are also one school and one Ryan family.
To everyone who contributed ideas, feedback, and encouragement throughout this
journey—thank you. The depth and heart of this process reflects the very best of the Ryan community that we are so proud of.
We will always remember that this new chapter wouldn’t exist without our past. It gives our students today something to rally behind—something created just for them.
We were Raiders and Ragdolls, we are Raiders and Ragdolls, We Are AR!