Rider's Midnight MAACness
Put a Tent on that Circus
Circus Maximus in Ancient Rome is believed to be the origin of the modern day Big Top.
Circus MAACness is the most recent version and will be on display this Friday night to usher in the basketball season.
Close to 700 NCAA® Division I men's and women's basketball teams begin their journey on the road they hope will culminate at the Final Four®, as official practices will be conducted across the country this weekend. Many teams and their fans will gather across the country in arenas late Friday night to celebrate the annual celebration that marks the start to the season. Practices are permitted to begin after 5 p.m. Friday.
That is when the Broncs' Zoo will be a real circus that may include acrobats, clowns, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists.
In 1970 University of Maryland basketball coach Lefty Driesell came up with an attention-getting ploy: He started practice at the earliest possible time allowed under NCAA rules. As the Terps ran laps in near-darkness in Cole Field House, the college basketball version of Midnight Madness was born.
Other coaches quickly followed Lefty's lead.
Now every basketball fan knows Midnight Madness as the hoopla surrounding the official start of college basketball practice.
Die-hard fans love it. The late start appealed to students, who brought a frat-party feel to the event. The benchmark of a program's passion soon became attendance at this first official practice. Today, the event is the ultimate pep rally and team promotion.
Midnight Madness has evolved into a tradition shared by hoops fans nationwide.
At Rider University, Alumni Gymnasium became the site of Midnight MAACness back in the 1990s when the Broncs joined the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference).
Under the direction of Associate Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator Karin Torchia, Midnight MAACness has taken on different themes throughout the years. "MAACaritavile" had a laid back, calypso music feel to it. One year when it fell on Friday the 13th the theme was "Fright Night" with a scary Halloween atmosphere including the transformation of the Athletics Hall of Fame area into a haunted graveyard.
One year Alumni Gym, home of the Broncs, turned into the "Broncs' Zoo" for "Midnight MAACness Goes Bronc Wild" with opponent animal mascots getting involved. MAACness took on a Hollywood theme one year with "Lights, Camera, MAACtion"
It even went 'medieval' on us one year with "Midnight MAACness Goes Medieval" on the campus mall.
"We have tried to become more and more elaborate each year," Torchia said, "and the students have really responded to it. We used to invite the general public but it has gotten so popular that we have had to limit it strictly to Rider students and staff, and even with that there is barely enough room in the gym to hold it."
"Midnight MAACness is the perfect way to kick off the basketball season," said Rider men's head coach Tommy Dempsey. "The whole campus comes alive at the start of basketball season and that makes our kids feel special. The support we receive from the campus community is unbelievable."
Festivities include performances by the cheerleaders and dance team, introduction of the men's and women's basketball teams and much more.
Pre-MAACness begins in Daly Dining Hall at 8 pm. The Big Top (Alumni Gym) doors open at 10:15pm and the festivities begin at 10:30 pm.
"Midnight MAACness is an event that brings the entire campus together," said Rider women's head coach Lynn Milligan. "The energy, support and excitement that encompass the night is electric. It is a great kickoff to the basketball season. Our team and entire program look forward to the night and are thankful for the time and effort that everyone puts into the success of MAACness."
This year's MAACness program will showcase the 2010-11 Rider Broncs basketball teams and included team introductions, a 3-point shootout, a highlight video from last season, performances by the cheerleaders and dance team, and the always popular slam dunk contest.
"Midnight MAACness continues to be a great tradition at Rider and this year's event won't disappoint," Torchia said. "We had hundreds of students from different organizations on campus working on MAACness planning since last April and they came up with great ideas to get the Rider community excited about the start of another basketball season."
"The continued support of the Rider community for our program is much appreciated," Milligan said.
So whether you call it Midnight Madness or MAACness, a good time will be had by all as the Rider community prepares for another exciting basketball season.
-ru-
