March Madness Raises Debate About Validity Of Texas A&M Corpus Christi’s Mascot

Texas A&M Corpus Christi defeated Southeast Missouri State in the NCAA Tournament ‘First Four’ on Tuesday night. Now, as a No. 16 seed, the Islanders will have the distinct honor of trying to be the second No. 16 seed to topple a No. 1 seed— in this case, the Alabama Crimson Tide.

However, A&M Corpus Christi’s NCAA Tournament appearance sparked a larger debate on Tuesday night about the validity of the school’s mascot. They are the Islanders— but is their campus on an island?

Can they call really themselves the Islanders?

Let’s break it down.

Corpus Christi, latin for ‘Body of Christ,’ is located in south Texas on the Gulf of Mexico. It is the eighth-most populous city in the state as of 2020 with just over 300,000 residents.

The A&M campus is located on the edge of the Corpus Christi bay, on ‘Ward Island,’ sheltered by Padre and Mustang islands.

Its address is 6300 Ocean Dr, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412.

But, again, despite Ward Island’s name, it begs the question— IS IT AN ISLAND?!

The definition of an island varies by resource, but comes to a general consensus.

• Merriam-Webster: “a tract of land surrounded by water and smaller than a continent.”
• National Geographic: “a body of land surrounded by water.”
• Encyclopedia Brittanica: “any area of land smaller than a continent and entirely surrounded by water.”
• Cambridge University: “a piece of land completely surrounded by water.”
• Famous geographer Stephen Royle: “a body of land surrounded by water, above water at high tide, and smaller than a continent.”

Based on aerial images of Texas A&M Corpus Christi’s campus, it is not surrounded by water. Certainly not “entirely.” It is attached to the main land.

OR IS IT?!

Here’s another look that pretty clearly shows the land on which the campus sits is attached to the rest of Texas:

OR DOES IT?!

If you look closer at the far right corner, there may be a bridge that travels over water. Because that’s what bridges do. The question is whether that qualifies the “island” as an “island.”

Texas A&M Corpus Christi calls itself the Islanders. The only question is whether the name is valid.

Perhaps they are more like the Peninsula-ers?