<P> They field 26 varsity teams . </P> <P> The academy nickname is the Bears, after the USRC Bear, which made a dramatic rescue in Alaska in 1897, shortly after the opening of the academy . </P> <P> In 1926, then - Cadet Stephen Evans (a future superintendent of the academy) brought a live bear to the academy and named it Objee for "Objectionable Presence ." The tradition of keeping a live bear as the mascot was continued until the City of New London petitioned for its removal in 1984 . </P> <P> The athletic facilities have been undergoing major upgrades since 2004, when the state - of - the - art FieldTurf synthetic surface was installed at Cadet Memorial Field (home of the football and lacrosse teams). </P>

What is the mascot of the coast guard