MACON — The tradition of a fall homecoming at Mercer University rolls into its third year featuring an even more action-packed line up for Homecoming 2010 this weekend, Nov. 19-20. Hundreds of Mercerians will come back to campus to celebrate with current students as Mercer’s women’s basketball team takes on Furman University on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and the Mercer men’s basketball team battles the Harvard Crimson on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Following the women’s basketball game Friday night, events move outside to Bear Hill, where there will be a student skit competition at 7:45 p.m. At 9, the festivities kick into high gear with the traditional bonfire, pep rally – featuring Mercer’s pep band, cheerleaders and a pep talk by men’s head coach Bob Hoffman – and concluding with a dazzling fireworks display.
Saturday is packed with events, beginning with a 5K Road Run at 8 a.m. There will also be a Charity Orange Pancake Breakfast on Porter Patch at 8:30 a.m. to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Following the breakfast, alumni will also take part in campus tours, reunions and fraternity, sorority, college and school receptions and open houses. At a 10 a.m. brunch in the University Center’s Presidents Dining Rooom, Mercer will induct its 2010 class into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Tailgating for the Harvard game gets underway at 12:30 p.m. on the University Center patio, including lunch, face-painting, student t-shirt distribution, orange hair-spraying, caricature artist, carnival games, inflatables, train rides around campus and more.
At 2 p.m., the party moves to the side of the University Center for the unveiling and dedication of a new 10-foot bronze bear statue. The unveiling will be held adjacent to the UC, facing Porter Patch and Penfield Hall.
After the unveiling, those with tickets to the sold-out game will head to the UC Arena for the 3 p.m. tip off against Harvard. In a bonus this year, the game will televised at a Watch Party at the Cox Capital Theatre, which is a free event. The evening’s festivities conclude with the first-ever Homecoming Concert featuring the Kinchafoonee Cowboys, with opening act Sue N’ The Bastards, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Cox Capital Theatre. Tickets to the concert are $10 each and Mercer student tickets are $5 each. Call Mercer Ticket Sales at (478) 301-5470 for tickets.
This year’s celebration also includes many new gatherings, including the Half Century Club and the School of Engineering 25th anniversary reception — just to name a few. For a full schedule and more information on individual events, please visit the Homecoming Web Page, www.mercer.edu/homecoming.
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