The Xavierite
The day of the Homecoming brought many people to Saint Xavier’s campus for the Cougar 5K, the tailgating parties, the men and women’s soccer games, and of course, the winning football game.
With so many activities going on during the day, there were many different experiences for everyone who attended.
The final football score was 28-13 with a victory for the Cougars. Also playing hard were the men and women’s soccer teams, both competing against Holy Cross College with a win for the women, 6-0, and a tie for the men, 0-0.
The Cougar 5K also brought victory, with new records for both the male and female categories.
Even those who did not desire to break a record still came out to the 5K for a challenging run on a nice day. Samantha Cruz, a Cougar 5K participant, comments that it was one of her friends who encouraged her to run in the race.
Being her first 5K, she was determined to complete it. Cruz notes that “the support of volunteers and the cheers from the people in the crowd helped me finish.”
Much of this support came from the bystanders along the route, and those at the end of the race.
For freshman band member Sarah Rasmussen, “I had such a fun time playing during the 5K while all of the participants came through the finish line. It was a great experience and I can’t wait to do it again next year!”
As a runner finished the race, there were cheers from the Paw Prints and pep music from the band to welcome them to the finish line.
Sydnee McDaniel, a participant in the production of the Cougar 5K, describes that she was “one of the volunteers that stayed on campus and handed out food to the runners as they finished the race.”
These volunteers worked hard to organize the race and to make sure the event went without a hitch.
Not only did they work in the early morning to prepare for runners arrival, but they worked long after the finish of the race to continue handing out food and freebies to all of those who participated. “Although we got there at 6:45 in the morning and didn’t leave until around 11:20, I thought it was a lot of fun.”
For these participants and many others, the day did not end there. Many tailgating parties were held in the parking lots of Saint Xavier’s campus.
The tailgating festivites provided an outlet for Saint Xavier University fans to interact and celebrate their football team.
The tailgate itself featured numerous students and alumni alike sharing in Saint Xavier’s tradition.
Passing through the tailgate one could see a collection of activities taking place such as bean bag tosses and tents being setup.
Families and friends came together for music, grilling and eating in preparation and celebration for the Cougar football game against St. Francis.
The victory by the Cougars was celebrated by many on the campus and the night ended on a high note for many students who were excited by the game’s outcome.
Filled with students and community members alike, the football stadium was a sea of scarlet and gray, the school colors. And the night ended with the crowd peacefully leaving the campus.
Julie Gardner
News Contributor
About Post Author
