The Red and Black Attack was out in full force during last week’s CSU East Bay Homecoming week.
Homecoming Week 2011 saw everything from East Bay’s first ever pep rally, to a festive campus-wide parade.
The events were put on by the Pioneer Athletics team, expanded over a seven-day period with men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball and water polo teams all in action.
The first day of the Red and Black Attack homecoming consisted of a meet-and-greet with campus clubs and organizations. Students also had the opportunity to see baseball coach Dirk Morrison, assistant golf coach Mario Castellanos and Senior Associate Athletic Director Sarah Judd get dunked in the dunk tank at a lunch event, with all proceeds benefitting the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Wednesday saw CSUEB’s first ever Pep Rally take place at the Pioneer gym. Attendees saw performances by the Oakland Raiderettes and our very own Eclectic Pulse. During the rally, all of East Bay’s athletic teams presented skits and competitions, proving to be a great crowd pleaser.
“The Student-Athlete Council was challenged to come up with new and entertaining events such as the Pep Rally to bring students, fans, and faculty/staff together,” said Johnny Volk, pitcher for CSUEB baseball and Student Athlete Council president.
“It was great to see everyone in the gym that night,” said Volk. “Not to mention the baseball and golf team’s skits were pretty impressive.”
In the Homecoming Parade, which took place on Thursday, several clubs, organizations, fraternities, sororities, and the homecoming court, marched through campus, led by the Hayward High School marching band. The rally began at Pioneer Heights and worked its way throughout campus, with its final destination being at the Pioneer gym.
Nearly 20 CSUEB student organizations and campus departments demonstrated their pioneer pride and school spirit by decorating cars, trucks, electric carts or by simply marching in the parade to the theme “The Red and Black Attack.”
Taking home the first place Most Creative Float Award was the Student Housing and Residence Life for the Campus Department category. Taking the first place award for the Student Organization Category was the CSUEB Orientation Team with the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity taking second place and the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity placing third.
“This year’s homecoming was the most exciting yet! Said Marguerite Hinrichs, Director for Student Affairs.
“We hope that the parade will become an East Bay tradition – growing in size and creativity each year!”
The rest of the week was host to events such as The East Bay Idol Contest, the Pioneer Pride Fashion Show “Project East Bay,” Kiss and iPod contest, Pool Side Party Luau with the Pioneer water polo team, and an ASI/Alumni Tailgate Pregame Party before Bay” women’s and men’s basketball games against San Francisco State.
“We had a great turnout for the fashion show and would like to thank our volunteer models, designers and judges,” said Pioneer bookstore General Manager Robert Gibson.
“It was the first time we tried the Project East Bay Design Contest as part of the show,” said Gibson, “and based on this year’s success and feedback received we hope to bring it back bigger and bolder next Homecoming.”
During halftime at the men’s game, performances by Eclectic Pulse and Stance riled up the crowd, and the homecoming 2011 King and Queen were announced. Aaron Pratt was announced this year’s King and Vanessa Sarvia was announced Queen.
In the sporting events, rival university San Francisco State defeated both Men and women’s basketball teams in the “Battle of the Bay.”
The women’s game saw a close match-up until the final buzzer,with a final score of 49-46, and the men were defeated by a final score of 82-72 in front of a crowd of 1,003 fans, the second largest attendance for basketball this year.
Both baseball and softball opened up their 2011 season with baseball dropping two of a three-game set to Vanguard.
Getting off to a steadfast start, the softball team won three of their four games over the weekend, concluding the homecoming festivities.
Pioneer Pride is always on display on campus, but the 2011 Homecoming week saw CSUEB students obtain the highest level of school spirit this university has ever seen.
