‘Enjoy those moments’: Student to graduate after donning suit of UNC’s Rameses

Mascots play a major part in firing up crowds at sports events, including one of the most well-known -- the University of North Carolina’s Rameses.

The man, who spent the last four years donning the ram suit, is about to graduate and is passing his duties along after four years.

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“It’s been a big part of my college experience from the very beginning,” said Daniel Wood, former UNC mascot Rameses.

Whoever wears the suit is supposed to keep it a secret to protect the integrity of Rameses, Wood said.

“But, as my friends refer to it, ‘It’s the worst kept secret in Chapel Hill,’” Wood told Channel 9 reporter DaShawn Brown. “It seems that everyone who got to know me pretty decently figured it out one way or another.”

Wood is a Huntersville native and graduated from Hough High School.

He said he has seen a lot during his tenure as Rameses.

“A lot of events,” Wood said. “There’s certainly the awesome ones out there like being at the Final Four this year.”

He said all events are a big deal.

“You need to be able to enjoy the small appearances, because there are no small appearances -- where you may just be going to a child’s birthday party or a nonprofit organization’s fundraiser where there might be two people there,” Wood said. “You have to be able to enjoy those moments because if you don’t, you don’t deserve the Final Fours.”

Wood graduates Sunday and scheduled a last nod to the suit he adores.

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“There may be some furry hands out there in the audience that they will see me waving with,” he said.

Wood majored in sports administration and plans to open a sports marketing firm.

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