The gym floor filling up with confetti and students rushing the floor. Courtesy of Ciera Bardowell
The moment the doors to the Felix Event Center were opened, the mayhem of the annual event Midnight Madness began. Students pushed, ran and were even dragged through the doors into the gym where the noise was loud and spirits were high.
Assistant Athletics Director Jackson Stava has hosted and been the emcee for the event for about seven years.
“I’m the knucklehead who stands in the middle of the court and yells at everyone all night,” Stava said.
Every year he introduces the female and male basketball players, runs the contests and announces prizes along the way.
What Stava loves most about the event is that students want to come whether they are basketball fans or not. There is always a lot of energy in the room and students want to be a part of it.
“I think students love that it’s not too serious, and that it’s a fun, loud event of hype,” Stava said. “I think students like the next day to say they were there.”
This year, students in animal masks entered Felix carrying Freddie the Cougar in a cage. His entrance is different each year.
“We try to change it every year by throwing some new things in the event,” Stava said.
Some say the prizes have gotten better with each Midnight Madness event. Stava said that the bookstore has been giving away free books for a semester for the past few years. This year it gave away an iPad and a couple iPods, along with the books.
“Personally, I think the main purpose of Midnight Madness is to just create excitement around what’s coming next in basketball,” Stava said. “It is the kickoff to the basketball season and the first time that NCAA allows you to go practice.”
Stava expressed how much he loves what APU has done with Midnight Madness because of the focus on how much hype can be created at the kickoff of the basketball season. There is always a dunk contest each year along with a 3-point shooting contest, and students are always enthusiastic about the bungee cord game where they get pulled all over the court.
“Recently students have really loved when the acrobatics and tumbling team performs, which has been a cool new thing to add in that we didn’t have four or five years ago,” Stava said. “That is something that I think we will keep doing.”
Midnight Madness is always tied into All Access Preview Weekend so prospective students can see it as well.
“Students love being there and seeing what all the hype’s about,” Stava said.
Sophomore psychology major Claire Dresselhaus has been on the acrobatics and tumbling team for the past two years and said Midnight Madness provides an opportunity to perform without the pressure of being judged.
“It’s also our first performance, so it is really good for us to see where we are at and what we need to work on more,” she said. “I think it is also comforting to know that since they are my peers they are really supportive and get excited pretty easily.”
She said that they don’t have to do much to get pumped for the event because the crowd, lights and noise do that for them.
“It is so fun, especially once we are there,” Dresselhaus said. “We don’t spend a lot of time preparing for this event, only about three practices, but most of the stunts, acros and tumbling are things we’ve been working on for the past two months that will hopefully be our team routine in the spring. … Our team is really strong this year, and I am looking forward to the spring when we start competing.”
Senior film major Victoria Herrera has attended every Midnight Madness during her time at APU. After experiencing four different Midnight Madness events, she said she has an idea of what the crowd likes and dislikes.
“I really liked the introduction of the Zu,” Herrera said. “It’s new and exciting and had the crowd going.”
She felt that Thursday night’s event was a lot of fun but bittersweet because it’s the last one she will be able to attend as an undergraduate.
The event concluded with what seemed like never-ending confetti falling from the ceiling of Felix. Students charged the gym floor and danced and played in the confetti until they were told to leave.
The Cougars will face Cal Poly Pomona at the end of next week for their first official home game of the season.