Georgia Southern University's new bald eagle mascot — Freedom II — made her public debut at Saturday evening's 45-40 victory against Coastal Carolina in Paulson Stadium.

At the end of the first quarter, Steve Hein, executive director of the Center for Wildlife Education and Lamar Q. Ball, Jr. Raptor Center, brought Freedom to midfield and held the 9-year-old eagle up to the ovation of the entire stadium.

Freedom II succeeds Freedom, who died earlier this year in March. Freedom I had been part of the Georgia Southern community since 2004, when he was found knocked out of a nest in Maitland, Florida, and permanent injury to his beak prevented his release into the wild. He was acquired with the permission of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Freedom II also was rescued in Maitla

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