Missouri university has new mascot after dropping Crusaders

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A private Christian university that dropped its Crusaders mascot earlier this year says its new mascot will be “Valor.” Evangel University in Springfield dropped the Crusaders name in March, saying it had become associated with the Crusade wars in the 11th to the 13th centuries between Christian and Muslims, as well as generally being linked to aggressive religious prosecution and violence. University officials said Wednesday the Valor logo would be a horse head, which they said represents the character and strength of Evangel. The university had the Crusaders mascot since the 1950s. The school said it received about 700 submissions for a new mascot name.