Alison Reed’s Secret Life as Hofstra’s Mascot
Alison Reed, a recent Hofstra University graduate, has a unique talent—she’s the school’s mascot, Kate the Lioness. While she was a member of the track and field and cross country teams, it’s this secret role that has kept her life exciting over the past four years.
The 22-year-old runner from East Northport had managed to keep her mascot identity hidden from suitemates, teammates, and even coaches. “No one on campus knew,” Reed shared shortly after her graduation.
Reed made headlines when she unveiled her secret in a viral video just days before receiving her diploma. Her team was thrilled; they even video-called her, exclaiming, “Oh, that was you?!” Reed mentioned achieving a personal goal of running a 5K in under 18 minutes alongside her mascot responsibilities.
The challenge of maintaining her double life was sometimes tough. She often had to explain her absences from events to teammates while juggling her mascot duties.
On graduation day, she donned big, plush sneakers as Kate and received a warm reception from fellow students and families. “I decorated my hat with ‘Four Years, One Secret’ and did a little dance on stage,” she recalled, clearly enjoying the moment.
Mane Event
Injuries limited Reed’s time as a DI athlete, but they didn’t dampen her spirit. She took great pride in being Kate, named after the founder of Hofstra and sharing the spotlight with another mascot, Willie. Through her experience, she learned to sync her moves with the dance team, observing them during basketball games.
Reed has actively engaged with the community; she even collaborated with mascots from the Islanders and the Mets. She downloaded TikTok to help elementary school students enjoy themselves during basketball games. “The pep band even gave me a tambourine to play with,” she added enthusiastically.
Although she was eager to see the men’s basketball team compete in March Madness for the first time in 25 years, a truck accident prevented her from attending the tournament in Florida.
Juggling responsibilities often felt like a balancing act. Reed managed to hop from class to events and practices without missing a beat. She even helped the men’s lacrosse team as an intern while keeping up her mascot duties.
“I went to a few of their games as a student athletic trainer, but I’d have to sneak away to put on my costume. It was wonderful being Kate,” she said, looking back on her experiences.
Kate’s Fate
Interestingly, Reed wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about school spirit during her high school years. However, her first semester at Hofstra led her to an unexpected role. “I was searching for a job on campus, nothing major. I never thought I’d end up as a mascot,” she reflected.
Initially told there were no openings, she received a call a week later that got her involved in the mascot role. “I love bringing smiles to people’s faces,” she said, expressing her passion for the job. “I would have done it even without pay.”
Reed faced a dilemma between choosing Hofstra and Stony Brook University, and ultimately found her niche at Hofstra. She found out later that Stony Brook had height restrictions for their mascot role, which, at 5-foot-5, would have excluded her. “I was relieved I decided on Hofstra,” she admitted.
Being Hofstra’s mascot became a wonderful full-circle moment for her family. “My mom was torn between naming me Alison and Caitlin,” she shared. “So I get to live out the Kate side as well, and that’s pretty cool.”
