JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida State College at Jacksonville’s (FSCJ) Manta Rays won the National Junior College Athletic Association Mascot Bracket Challenge after defeating the Cuyahoga Community College Triceratops in the final round.
The national title comes after seven rounds of voting that began in December 2025.
The Manta Rays moved to the top position in a field of 82 schools that entered the bracket competition.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Florida State College at Jacksonville President John Avendano, Ph.D., praised the collective effort of the voters following the announcement of the victory.
“To every single person who voted, encouraged others and proudly represented Rays, thank you. This was truly a collective effort and it shows what we can accomplish when we move together,” Avendano said. “This championship is more than a fun victory. It’s another reminder of who we are: the best community college in the nation, now with the best mascot in the nation to match.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
FSCJ’s Manta Rays mascot was first announced during a commencement ceremony in May of 2024.
The college later introduced the physical mascot costume on September 17, 2024, to coincide with World Manta Day. Following a nomination process and a public voting window, the mascot was officially named Rayzor Ray in October 2024.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.