Daily Staff

Although the Cyclone football team was absent from the slew of New Year’s Day bowl games, Iowa State mascot Cy still made an apperance.

After several months of voting Cy was named the 2008 Capital One National Mascot of the Year during halftime of the Capital One Bowl on Thursday.

Capital One awarded Iowa State a $10,000 scholarship fund check in honor of Cy’s victory.

The contest, which began in September, matched Cy against 12 other college mascots, including Boise State’s Buster Bronco and UCLA’s Joe Bruin. Each week fans had the opportunity to vote for their favorite mascot, eventually setting up a championship match between Cy and North Dakota State’s Thundar.

In the final round Cy defeated Thundar 51,612 votes to 38,090.

Nate Sandell – Daily Staff Writer