Madness teases basketball season
By Jillian Law
[email protected]
The Madonna University men and women’s basketball teams kicked off their seasons with the Madonna Madness event Thursday night in the gym. For many students, Madonna Madness was their introduction to the university’s basketball teams, both of which have not yet begun their seasons.
“I think this is a great event for getting other students outside of the basketball programs excited for our teams,” said Gloria Mayer, an art education major and one of the managers for the women’s basketball team. “It’s good to see other students there to support us.”
Each team received the opportunity to show off their skills with a three-point shooting contest. Four players were selected from each team and faced off against a teammate. They had 60 seconds on the clock to make as many shots as they could. The winners from both the men and women’s team then faced off against each other.
The men’s team also selected a handful of players to participate in a slam dunk contest. These players were judged and scored by coaches and trainers from the Madonna football team.
While students could just watch the basketball teams show off their skills, they also had the opportunity to play games and win prizes.
Prior to the event starting, students received one raffle ticket and complimentary pizza. Those raffle tickets were used to select participants for various fan contests that included the hula hoop shot, basketball musical chairs, and giant Connect Four.
In the hula hoop shot contest, four students were selected for three rounds culminating in a championship. Three hula hoops were placed on the floor: one at the three-point line, one at the free throw line, and one at the layup line. Students then had 30 seconds to make as many shots as they could from those hula hoops.
In basketball musical chairs, six students had to dribble around the chairs until the music stopped. Then, they had to run and make a shot before running back to grab a chair.
In giant Connect Four, two students had to make a shot before running back and placing a piece into the giant Connect Four board.
All participating students received a prize, and the winning contestants won gift cards of various amount to restaurants like Olive Garden and Outback Steakhouse.
Overall, Madonna Madness seemed to be a success with students, who largely stayed after the volleyball game to participate.
Jackie Pruitt, a biomedical science major, went to the event for the free pizza and the raffle, but she found herself enjoying the showcase for Madonna’s basketball program.
“I think it was a good way to introduce the basketball teams,” said Pruitt. “My favorite part was getting to see the new people on the teams.”
However, Pruitt does wish more students had attended and that more effort should have been made to promote the event.
“I think that there should have been people standing in the Franciscan Center or in the Take-5 to get more people to join.”
Similarly, Mayer felt that participation in Madonna Madness could have been easier amd more convenient for students to attend had it occurred earlier in the day.
“Because the event took place in the evening, some of us did not end up getting home until late into the night,” said Mayer. “It was difficult to stay present because of how exhausted we were from a day of school, sports, and work in addition to the event.”
[email protected]
The Madonna University men and women’s basketball teams kicked off their seasons with the Madonna Madness event Thursday night in the gym. For many students, Madonna Madness was their introduction to the university’s basketball teams, both of which have not yet begun their seasons.
“I think this is a great event for getting other students outside of the basketball programs excited for our teams,” said Gloria Mayer, an art education major and one of the managers for the women’s basketball team. “It’s good to see other students there to support us.”
Each team received the opportunity to show off their skills with a three-point shooting contest. Four players were selected from each team and faced off against a teammate. They had 60 seconds on the clock to make as many shots as they could. The winners from both the men and women’s team then faced off against each other.
The men’s team also selected a handful of players to participate in a slam dunk contest. These players were judged and scored by coaches and trainers from the Madonna football team.
While students could just watch the basketball teams show off their skills, they also had the opportunity to play games and win prizes.
Prior to the event starting, students received one raffle ticket and complimentary pizza. Those raffle tickets were used to select participants for various fan contests that included the hula hoop shot, basketball musical chairs, and giant Connect Four.
In the hula hoop shot contest, four students were selected for three rounds culminating in a championship. Three hula hoops were placed on the floor: one at the three-point line, one at the free throw line, and one at the layup line. Students then had 30 seconds to make as many shots as they could from those hula hoops.
In basketball musical chairs, six students had to dribble around the chairs until the music stopped. Then, they had to run and make a shot before running back to grab a chair.
In giant Connect Four, two students had to make a shot before running back and placing a piece into the giant Connect Four board.
All participating students received a prize, and the winning contestants won gift cards of various amount to restaurants like Olive Garden and Outback Steakhouse.
Overall, Madonna Madness seemed to be a success with students, who largely stayed after the volleyball game to participate.
Jackie Pruitt, a biomedical science major, went to the event for the free pizza and the raffle, but she found herself enjoying the showcase for Madonna’s basketball program.
“I think it was a good way to introduce the basketball teams,” said Pruitt. “My favorite part was getting to see the new people on the teams.”
However, Pruitt does wish more students had attended and that more effort should have been made to promote the event.
“I think that there should have been people standing in the Franciscan Center or in the Take-5 to get more people to join.”
Similarly, Mayer felt that participation in Madonna Madness could have been easier amd more convenient for students to attend had it occurred earlier in the day.
“Because the event took place in the evening, some of us did not end up getting home until late into the night,” said Mayer. “It was difficult to stay present because of how exhausted we were from a day of school, sports, and work in addition to the event.”
by Cory Linsner
Training camp has begun, and the Madonna University Women’s Basketball team is preparing themselves for the upcoming 2016-2017 season.
The Crusaders are looking to build off of their 17-11 record from a year ago. A year that was highlighted by a tremendous home upset over No. 6 Davenport University, and an amazing 14-3 finish after a slow 3-8 start.
The women’s basketball team is running into this season with a lot of goals, and are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve them. The Crusaders hope to put an end to Davenport University's run of seven-straight Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) championships. Madonna themselves have finished in third place respectively the past two seasons in the WHAC standings, and are striving to get over the hump and end up on top of the conference, and earn a berth to the NAIA National Tournament.
The 2016-17 campaign begins Oct. 29 as the Crusaders travel to Gary, Indiana, to take on Indiana University Northwest.
The non-conference schedule is highlighted by two huge games, the first coming on Oct. 30 when the women travel to Grand Rapids to take on NCAA Division 2 opponent Grand Valley State, and thenDec. 4 they will travel to Toledo to take on a strong NCAA Division 1 MAC opponent in the University of Toledo.
Following a strong non-conference schedule, Madonna will have to run the gauntlet of WHAC conference play that will consist of home and home’s with No. 11 Davenport University, No. 23 Lawrence Tech University, and Indiana Tech, which received votes in the NAIA polls.
This year is shaping up to be the true test to see what the Madonna Crusader Women’s Basketball team is all about.
Training camp has begun, and the Madonna University Women’s Basketball team is preparing themselves for the upcoming 2016-2017 season.
The Crusaders are looking to build off of their 17-11 record from a year ago. A year that was highlighted by a tremendous home upset over No. 6 Davenport University, and an amazing 14-3 finish after a slow 3-8 start.
The women’s basketball team is running into this season with a lot of goals, and are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve them. The Crusaders hope to put an end to Davenport University's run of seven-straight Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) championships. Madonna themselves have finished in third place respectively the past two seasons in the WHAC standings, and are striving to get over the hump and end up on top of the conference, and earn a berth to the NAIA National Tournament.
The 2016-17 campaign begins Oct. 29 as the Crusaders travel to Gary, Indiana, to take on Indiana University Northwest.
The non-conference schedule is highlighted by two huge games, the first coming on Oct. 30 when the women travel to Grand Rapids to take on NCAA Division 2 opponent Grand Valley State, and thenDec. 4 they will travel to Toledo to take on a strong NCAA Division 1 MAC opponent in the University of Toledo.
Following a strong non-conference schedule, Madonna will have to run the gauntlet of WHAC conference play that will consist of home and home’s with No. 11 Davenport University, No. 23 Lawrence Tech University, and Indiana Tech, which received votes in the NAIA polls.
This year is shaping up to be the true test to see what the Madonna Crusader Women’s Basketball team is all about.