BURLINGTON, Ont. - On Wednesday evening as part of the OUA Honours Awards, the CHAMP Awards (Celebrating and Honouring Achievements in Marketing and Promotions) were also presented to recognize the accomplishments of those off the field of play.  

Laurier's mascot, Midas the Golden Hawk, has won its first ever Mascot of the Year award. This award was first introduced in 2015-16, and is presented to a mascot that best represents their institution through a wide range of creative activations, such as in-event appearances, fan and sponsorship engagement, and an active online presence, just to name a few. 

Since Midas was hatched in 1962, the Golden Hawk is the epitome of what it means to be golden. Midas is the ultimate Golden Hawks community ambassador, attending multiple off-campus events like Treats in the Streets with Uptown Waterloo BIA or cheering with fans at the women's hockey feature game with the Woodstock Wildcats in Woodstock. 

Midas is always the first to create an engaging fan experience, growing the love for Laurier athletics and the Laurier community in fans old and young. Whether at the stadium for football games, on the court for basketball, or cheering on from the stands in the arena for hockey, Midas always looks for ways to make fans smile and feel like they belong. 

Midas the Golden Hawk is a main stay on Laurier Athletics' social media accounts, creating promotional videos, pulling April Fools pranks, and getting fans ready to cheer at upcoming events.  

Jay, the Toronto Blue Jay is flashy, the Raptor is cool and crazy, Carleton the Bear is friendly, but Midas the Golden Hawk is kindness, caring, and the true embodiment of what it means to be Golden.