The First Four
Scooby Doo similarities? Sure, but if your mascot is the Great Danes, there is room for a little whimsy when it comes to logo design, and Albany's manages to be fun while still being reasonably well-drawn.
The committee admired Mount Saint Mary's for using their nickname instead of their formal name, but thats where the admiration ended.
Winner: Albany
NC State's logo designer: "Let's see. We're a state school, so we definitely need a big university 'S'. Now, where can I stick this 'N' and 'C'? Wait, I've got it!"
For Xavier, with a name as cool as "Musketeers," you'd think there would be a little more room for creativity. The odd serif's make it feel like a deflated balloon.
Winner: Xavier, in a match-up we're not thrilled about
We get the feeling that the Texas Southern brass played a heavy role in the art direction of this logo. It includes nearly everything you'd need to know about their institution with little regard for design principles. Was there really no better place to put that tiger head?
Winner: Cal Poly, by virtue of no competition
Note for future rounds of this logo competition: It's okay to have a solitary letter as your school's primary mark, as long as it is distinctive in some way and feels like it's something you can own. By that standard, Tennessee's logo passes muster. That said, Iowa's Hawkeye logo is just too classy. It's timeless and versatile. They'll never change it, and they'll never have to.
Winner: Iowa