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As ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ celebrates 150 years and welcomes Buffs back for Homecoming, Emma Morgan and Nadia Drobnich reflect on sisterhood, grit and the tradition that connects generations of Buffs.

Five minutes before kickoff, Folsom Field holds its breath. Ralphie appears and one of ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ most beloved traditions surges into motion.

Emma Morgan

For Emma Morgan and Nadia Drobnich, that moment is more than a game-day spectacle. Both women are the third sibling in their families to earn a place on the Ralphie Handler team, making the tradition a family legacy, a test of nerve and a point of connection to a Buffs community that stretches far beyond the stadium.

We’re sharing their stories in a fitting year as ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ marks its 150th anniversary. Homecoming weekend will bring generations of Buffs back to campus to celebrate shared history, togetherness and tradition.

Morgan, a senior studying integrative physiology, grew up attending CU football games from the time she was 12 years old, watching her older brother and sister run with Ralphie before her. “The exhilarating feeling I got every time I watched Ralphie and her handlers run proved to me that I wanted to be a part of the most incredible team and get to work with the best buffalo in the world,” Morgan said.

Drobnich, a sophomore pursuing a degree in education studies, said her interest grew from a similar mix of family admiration for the tradition. Her siblings showed her the energy of game day, the closeness of the team and the care behind the scenes. “I was able to see how amazing the tradition was,” she said, “but telling me how close the team is and how much they love Ralphie…it made me want to be a part of something special.”

A tradition passed down—and made their own

Ralphie’s run has been part of ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ football program for nearly six decades. The first Ralphie stood on the sidelines in 1966, and the tradition of leading her onto the field began the following season. Today, Ralphie VII continues that lineage.

For Morgan and Drobnich, joining that lineage took more than admiration. Applicants must be full-time students, and those selected are expected to dedicate roughly 30 hours a week to the Ralphie program. Morgan felt the weight of that expectation before she even joined the team. “Going into freshman year, I was intimidated by the big shoes left to fill by my siblings,” Morgan said. “Being a sibling of a previous handler adds even more pressure to the tryout process.”

Nadia Drobnich (right) and her sister, Olivia

She began training months before arriving on campus, determined to meet the physical demands and show she belonged on her own terms. Since making the team, Morgan said, she has added her own chapter to the family story, setting records, running in new positions and stepping into leadership.

As the youngest of three sisters, Drobnich grew up sharing sports, coaches and routines with her siblings. Becoming a Ralphie handler felt like an obvious next step in a family already shaped by teamwork and support. “Being the third sibling to be on this team is just as special to me as all the other sports,” she said. “I’ve always loved it because I am always able to ask them questions about it.”

The work no one sees

On game day, most fans only see the charge across the field—the seconds when Ralphie and her handlers become the center of the stadium. But Morgan and Drobnich both describe a much larger commitment: workouts, practices, studying, recovery and the constant need to adapt when working with a large, powerful animal. “Most people don’t realize how much work the handlers put into running with a buffalo,” Morgan said. “We have very demanding schedules with workouts and practices five days a week on top of our schoolwork.”

Morgan said the team began training Ralphie VII long before her debut, building toward the trust and coordination that make a run possible. Ralphie VII made her first appearance in 2025, adding a new chapter to the live mascot tradition.

Drobnich, a lifelong sprinter, said the physical preparation felt familiar in some ways. The harder part was mental, especially managing the fear of not making the team after watching her sisters do it before her. “I wondered if I would be the only sibling to not make the team,” she said.

But once she joined, Drobnich discovered another challenge: finding her footing in a team where her sister was already a respected leader. Her siblings had prepared her for the physical expectations, but they encouraged her to build her own connections and confidence.

That balance of earning a place as an individual while relying on the group runs through both women’s reflections. Ralphie handlers are selected one by one, but the work depends on collective trust. “We are all a team, no one is competing with each other,” Drobnich said. “We are all here for one reason: to run Ralphie across the field.”

Leading at full speed and opening the gate for others

In a stadium environment filled with noise, movement and emotion, leadership means a readiness to respond. “At any moment something could happen or not go to plan,” Morgan said. “We all must be ready to react quickly and professionally to ensure the safety of everyone in Folsom.”

That responsibility is part of what makes the role so meaningful. Ralphie’s run is a beloved image of Buff pride, but the handlers know it from the inside as a relationship built through repetition, patience and accountability. For Morgan and Drobnich, it also means being visible in a role defined by high expectations.

There are currently five women on a team of 17, and every handler—regardless of gender—has to prove they can meet the physical demands of running with Ralphie. “Being a woman on the team is rewarding but very challenging,” Morgan said. “I am very proud of us all and how hard we work. I have loved being able to challenge myself by training hard and running in difficult positions.”

Drobnich sees that representation in the reactions of younger fans. “I am so proud of all the women that have been on this team,” she said. “It’s so special seeing young girls react to a woman running, and I love proving that women can do anything a man can do.”

Their visibility matters in part because both handlers once saw a possible future in someone else. Morgan remembers at 12 years old, watching her brother run. Drobnich remembers seeing her sisters grow in the program. “I hope everyone takes away that the impossible is possible,” Drobnich said. “Yes, it’s so hard—but you learn so much.”

A Homecoming connection

This Homecoming carries extra resonance. ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ first official Homecoming was held in 1914, and the tradition has long brought generations of Buffs together around football, campus life and shared memories. In the university’s 150th year, Ralphie’s run offers a living reminder of how traditions endure: through the people who return to them, care for them and pass them forward.

For Morgan, being a handler has revealed the depth of ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ pull. Appearances and game days have shown her how strongly Ralphie resonates with fans of all ages. “Being a handler has truly shown me the magic that is here at CU,” she said.��

Drobnich said the experience has broadened her understanding of the Buffs community, connecting her not just to students but to generations of fans. “It’s brought me closer to the Boulder community,” she said. “I didn’t realize how many people love supporting the football games and Ralphie. It makes me so happy we can share the same love for ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������.”

As Buffs come home to Boulder this fall, Morgan and Drobnich will carry more than their own family legacies onto the field. They will represent the work behind the roar, the trust behind the run and the generations of students who keep ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ traditions alive.