BY RACHEL GALATIS
It’s been two years since the last “Skyhawk Madness” at the College Center gymnasium, but organizers are hoping this year’s event will make up for it.
“I think Skyhawk Madness will be a good way to bring our Stonehill community back together while introducing not only our seasoned athletes but our new athletes as well,” Sydney Ledoux, the chair of the Student Government Association spirit committee said.
The October 14 event kicks off the start of the men’s and women’s basketball team seasons. All students are welcome to attend and are encouraged to wear as much Skyhawk attire as possible.
The dance team and cheer team will perform, and there will be other entertainment as well.
Ledoux said a full house is expected, and everyone hopes that students will have the same energy, enthusiasm, and attitude as in the past.
“I hope to see students flooding in with school spirit and rocking all their unique Skyhawk gear, and I can't wait to see how the students react to the small contests, t-shirt launches, DJ, spotlights, and many more surprises to come,” she said.
The first Skyhawk Madness event was held 15 years ago in 2006. The event usually ends around midnight, leading some students to refer to it as “Midnight Madness.” This year it will start at 9 p.m. promptly.
A senior on the women’s basketball team, Bella Santoro, said that Skyhawk Madness is the “best night at the “Hill,” and her team is excited to be a part of it.
“My team and I will be at center stage of it all, first dancing out to all our madness songs, then competing against the men's team in a three-point contest and cheering on other teams as well,” she said.
Skyhawk Madness always takes place in mid-October and is known for being one of the “loudest” events on campus, several students said.
Santoro said she remembers walking into the gym to attend the event for the first time and it reminded her that school spirit is one of the reasons she chose to enroll at Stonehill.
“The spirit and passion of the students and our community has not just been for sports, but for Stonehill as a whole, and it’s unlike any other event, especially Skyhawk Madness,” she said.
For the event, students are encouraged to dress in purple and Stonehill gear, along with any Stonehill accessories. In the past, some have even painted their faces.
Joe Spadorcia, founder of the student-run sports broadcasting club, “The Flyover,” said that he and other members of the club are excited to cover this event.
“The Flyover will be creating a recap video of Skyhawk Madness including all the dances, competitions, and games,” he said.
“The Flyover” covers sporting events and promotes sports-related happenings on campus. The club works in two teams: one team with the WSHL to cover football, soccer, and field hockey games, while the other team takes photos and videos to post on social media.
Spadorcia said the club has built most of its following through recaps posted on social media, such as the recent segment “Chris at the Tailgate,” which can be found on Instagram and Twitter, @HillFlyover.
He said that the club has a goal to host a live pregame show before the football season ends, something he is “personally excited about.”
“This is an event the club is excited to tackle as a challenge and hopefully promote the schools' fall sports teams,” Spadorcia said.
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