Days of celebration
Homecoming 2011 draws enthusiastic crowds to campus
4:01 p.m., Nov. 16, 2011--Following several days of celebration and spirit, Homecoming 2011 was capped by a 24-10 win by the Fightin' Blue Hens Football team in front of more than 20,000 fans in Delaware Stadium.
The 15th-ranked Blue Hens (6-4, 4-3 Colonial Athletic Association) cruised to their second straight win as they jumped out to a 21-3 halftime lead and held off the Spiders to send the Homecoming and Senior Day crowd home happy. But Homecoming 2011 was much more than a football game.
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Friday's Spirit Crowning Ceremony brought students, employees and alumni to The Green in front of Memorial Hall to award prizes to University departments as part of the "Dare to show more spirit" photo competition and to students for creative spirit banners.
The inaugural UD Alumni Association President’s Choice Award went to Student Financial Services. As winners they received the Blue Cup trophy to display in the office until next year’s winners are chosen. The People’s Choice Award, determined by online voting, was awarded to UD’s Disaster Research Center. The winner of the Student Spirit Banner Competition was UDress magazine.
Also Friday afternoon, the winners of the Presidential Citation for Outstanding Achievement were honored with a ceremony and reception at the Roselle Center for the Arts. Honorees were Joseph Claricurzio BE '90, Katherine Hutchinson HS '86M, EH '94PhD, John Knarr HS '77 '81M '90, Maggie Leffler Martin AS '94, Andrew Schwartz AG '93, Sean Wang EG ’94PhD, Ming Xu EO '93M and Ping Xu EO '94M, BE '99MBA.
Friday night started and ended at the Trabant Center as alumni and friends attended the second annual Blue Hens on Main. The event kicked off the evening there with drinks and food and then returned later in the evening for a breakfast buffet.
Rachel O'Halla '06 attended the event and said she loved it. “We had a blast! Blue Hens on Main is a great idea,” said O'Halla, who attended the event after winning a contest of Facebook held by the Office of Alumni Relations. O'Halla and friends won free admission and friends traveled to campus from all over the United States, including California, New York and Virginia for Blue Hens on Main and Homecoming in general.
Also on Friday evening, the women's basketball team tipped off its season with an 89-53 victory over Rhode Island.
Saturday's festivities started with President Patrick Harker's Homecoming Luncheon, held in the Bob Carpenter Center. UD Alumni Association board members, reunion class committee volunteers, regional alumni club board members, current and past award winners and other Blue Hens gathered for pre-game food and drink, as well as networking and a performance by the UD Marching Band, Cheerleaders and Dance Team.
Also at the luncheon, the Outstanding Alumni Award winners -- Kerri Pike '03 and Greg Lamoreaux '72 -- were honored. Presented annually to alumni in recognition of their exemplary work on behalf of UD and/or the UD Alumni Association, Kerri and Greg also were recognized at halftime of the Homecoming Football game. Lauren Simione, assistant director of alumni relations, said the luncheon was a great opportunity to recognize dozens of alumni who serve the University.
"It is great to have the chance to honor so many wonderful Blue Hens who give so much and mean so much to this University," Simione said. "So many of the alumni who attended the president's luncheon are the ones UD counts on to go the extra mile for their alma mater. Their continued involvement after graduation and support of the university sets a great example for all Blue Hens."
Other reunions and events held during Homecoming included the fourth annual College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Homecoming Celebration, the College of Health Sciences Community Day, a Greek Alumni Association gathering and several Black Alumni Organization (BAO) events.
Terrance Bowman '95 planned the BAO events, which marked the group's 30th anniversary, and he said he was thrilled with how everything went. "The BAO anniversary celebration during Homecoming was amazing. All of our events were well attended, and camaraderie shared over the past few days were heart-warming," Bowman said.