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At every Syracuse University football and basketball game, Diamonte “D” Giacovelli can be spotted sitting all the way at the front of the stands, cheering on the players or calling out for Otto the Orange. At a basketball game Giacovelli attended two years ago, Otto gave him a hug; though this particular hug felt different from others.

“It was nothing out of the ordinary for Otto to give hugs, but I had the intuition that there’s extra love with this hug,” Giacovelli said.

As it turns out, on the day before the senior Otto’s reveal, his friend Omi Wolfe told Giacovelli that she had been Otto since the end of her freshman year. Giacovelli wasn’t surprised; Wolfe has a big heart and down to earth personality fitting of the Orange mascot, he said. Though Wolfe never confirmed if it was her in the Otto costume that day, the possibility was enough for Giacovelli.

SU officially adopted its mascot, Otto the Orange, in 1995. Though students who are Otto train like D1 athletes and have an NIL deal, Otto’s identity is a well-kept secret. But, their contagious energy allowed Otto to become an unforgettable face in Syracuse. From scootering around campus to their dance moves, Otto has become integral to SU and was even inducted to the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2023.

March 24 is National Orange Day, marking the day when SU was founded and Otto’s birthday. This year was the 12th time SU celebrated Otto’s birthday on campus. Since 2014, revealing the seniors behind the mascot has become a big part of the day’s tradition, said Julie Walas, Otto the Orange coach and program manager.

This year, Wolfe, along with Audrey Becker, Morgan Kingdeski, Sarah Jacoby, Jackson Martin, Thomas Condon, Leda Rossmann and Colin Yavinsky made school history as the largest Otto class, Walas said.

Becker became an Otto during her sophomore year. What started out as a joke turned into an “awesome” journey, she said. Becker’s first time as Otto was nerve-wracking. But thanks to Walas’ and former upperclassmen’s advice, it didn’t last long.

This year’s class of graduating Ottos is the largest yet. Thomas Condon, Colin Yavinsky, Leda Rossmann, Jackson Martin, Sarah Jacoby, Morgan Kingdeski, Omi Wolfe and Audrey Becker are among the eight senior Ottos (left to right). Courtesy of Julie Walas

“Once I was doing my thing and Otto was out there, all of my worries melted away because it wasn’t me,” Becker said. “It wasn’t nervous Audrey greeting these people, it was Otto.”

All eight Ottos are “very different people,” but it makes their dynamic richer, Jacoby said. From human development to civil engineering majors, every senior represents different personalities and colleges at SU.

“It’s just so beautiful that all eight of us can come together and portray this sweet, silly mascot,” Jacoby said. “Our voices have become very unified over the years, and we all have different perspectives.”

Throughout the years, the group had to be discreet about their friendship so they did not raise any suspicions. But, on the morning of March 24, all eight members could finally “publicly be friends,” Wolfe said.

At around 8 a.m. on National Orange Day, Walas and the senior Ottos made their way to Rise N Shine Diner to have breakfast one last time under their concealed identities. When a waiter approached their table, she noted the seniors’ athletic gear and asked what sport they played. There was less than an hour before the reveal video drops. With little time left before the truth was unveiled, the group decided to let their waiter in on their secret.

“She was so sweet. She took a picture with us, and she was very kind and just very excited, which was a nice appetizer for how the rest of the day would go,” Becker said.

Unveiling one’s identity can be a lot to deal with, so Walas prepared the seniors on handling the reveal, holding meetings with the seniors beginning in January. The meetings went over how the students were feeling that day, updates in their lives and what they should expect for the National Orange Day events.

From scootering around campus to dancing on the sidelines of a sporting event, Otto has become emblematic of Syracuse University. Otto was even inducted into the Mascot Hall-of-Fame in 2023. Eli Schwartz | Asst. Photo Editor

Though Walas spent weeks guiding the seniors for the mental and emotional outcomes of the big reveal, it was still a whirlwind of chaos, Jacoby said. When the reveal video was released on March 24, all of the seniors’ phones blew up. Texts kept flowing, calls were never-ending and people were constantly approaching them.

After hiding behind a mask for so long, some seniors decided to spend their reveal day on the “facey-ist parts of campus.” Becker, a television, radio and film major, spent her day in some of the most bustling places on campus like Schine Student Center or Food.com, catching the surprised looks on her friends’ faces. Others, like Jacoby, attended classes like any other day — with the consistent questioning from classmates as a bonus to her already hectic day.

When Wolfe revealed to Giacovelli that she was Otto, he was more proud than suspicious.

SU has been Giacovelli’s dream school for as long as he could remember. Wolfe said Giacovelli carries the most orange spirit than anyone she’s ever met. Giacovelli could’ve been the perfect Otto, Wolfe said, but he didn’t try out because he thought he was too tall.

In some way, having his best friend as Otto fulfilled his dream of being the mascot, Giacovelli said.

“When I found out, I was so proud of her,” Giacovelli said. “Regardless of whoever’s in that suit, I wanted to make sure they knew that they were doing a good job and that what they’re doing is important.”

Senior Naomi Imhoff said she grew suspicious of her friend Morgan’s whereabouts.

They became close friends their sophomore year when the pair studied abroad together in Strasbourg, France. After they returned, they became roommates and still are. That’s when Imhoff began to notice how busy Morgan was and couldn’t figure out why.

Then, on the morning of March 24, Imhoff woke up and opened Instagram, where she found the truth about why Morgan was so busy: Morgan’s days were filled with her duties as Otto.

“I immediately texted Morgan. I was like ‘There’s no way,’ I couldn’t believe it. I was always a little confused, but I was so shocked when I found out,” Imhoff said.

Being Otto was a huge revelation for Morgan’s friends. Morgan held a more reserved and shy personality, especially in the classroom. By embodying Otto’s outgoing and infectious personality, Imhoff saw a new side of Morgan, especially when Imhoff saw Morgan run out on stage at the reveal day celebrations.

“I just have never seen (her) in that way. I saw a completely different side of Morgan. It just felt like it was a complete picture of who she was. I’m just so happy for her to have this moment,” Imhoff said.

Morgan Kingdeski at 8 years old in Cicero, New York, with Otto. Born and raised in Syracuse, Kingdeski grew up near the mascot; then became Otto when she enrolled at Syracuse University. Courtesy of Holly Kingdeski

Born and raised in Syracuse, Morgan frequented SU’s campus as a child, when her mom, Holly Kingdeski, works in the school’s financial aid office. When she’d visit her mom at work, Morgan would often see Otto around campus. Becoming the very mascot she grew up seeing was like seeing “the world change,” Morgan said.

Since most of her friends and family are from Syracuse, everyone in Morgan’s life joked about how funny it would be if someone became the city’s most recognizable mascot. Morgan decided to become Otto as a joke during her freshman year. Running into her family as Otto was a funny full-circle moment for her.

“I was always looking at Otto as kind of a stuffed animal. But now I look at Otto and I think this person who’s playing it could be the polar opposite,” Holly said.

When Jacoby arrived at SU from Los Angeles as a freshman, she was looking for a community on campus. After the joy of her first interaction with Otto, Jacoby immediately knew she wanted to bring that to others.

Jacoby is the first “legacy Otto,” she said. Her father was one of the first Ottos when he attended SU in the 1990s and was part of the group that named the mascot Otto, Jacoby said.

“This has completely strengthened our relationship. Every time he comes back for homecoming, I get to see the orange spirit in his eyes,” Jacoby said. “It’s very, very full circle for me, just because of how I’ve seen (being Otto) affected his life and how much he loves this university.”

Being Otto has helped Jacoby, a communication sciences and disorders major, plan her future career. She hopes to be a speech language pathologist, working primarily with kids. Whether it’s greeting young SU fans in football games or fist-bumping kids at a local elementary school for their “Fist Bump Friday,” Jacoby said Otto’s empathy has helped prepare her for a path of helping children.

Thanks to Otto, Wolfe’s planning to pursue a career as a child life specialist after graduation. This career would never be in the works had it not been for Otto, Wolfe said.

“I didn’t even realize that I wanted to do something in this until I was immersed in (being Otto) and realized it, that I wanted to do something and impact the world as Omi and that it was so closely linked to what I was doing as Otto,” Wolfe said.

While Otto is present at sporting events, the mascot also goes beyond the field and into the community. Whether it’s being invited to an alumni’s wedding or attending a local fundraiser, Otto sparks joy wherever they are, Morgan said.

“Otto means being something bigger than yourself,” Becker said. “In a literal sense, you are a large orange. But in a more sentimental sense, you get to be this free, childish — in the best way possible — presence that can light up a room.”

Published on April 9, 2026 at 12:07 am
Contact Tara: tabintes@syr.edu