A loud roar greeted students and sports fans alike as they entered the Sports Center Arena. On all sides, the arena seats were clearly divided by inflatable white and blue thunder sticks, primed for some friendly competition among audience members. A countdown to the event reached the last ten seconds, and the crowd sounded off each number along with the announcer. The lights cut off, and an electric floor show commenced, sending chills through the audience.
The projected floor show has been an added tradition to Eagle Mania since its introduction in 2014. Caleb Hagewood, a video editor in PCC’s Advertising Department, had been working on the show over the summer. “We brainstorm ideas and storyboard and sketch them out to see if we like the direction that it’s going. For this Eagle Mania, we got some direction from [Eagles Athletics] on what they would like to see on court, and so we’ve incorporated that into the storyboarding process,” he explained. “One term that people have used [to describe the show] is geometrics. People see the court flipping—something that you don’t normally see the court do.”
New this year, Eagle Mania was held earlier in the semester to introduce Eagles fans to their Eagles soccer and Lady Eagles volleyball teams early in the playing season. After each team member was presented, they showed off their skills in scrimmage matches on the basketball court. The Eagles soccer scrimmage goalies impressed the crowd with their quick-acting saves, and the Lady Eagles volleyball team displayed their skills, one player wowing the crowd when she blocked a spike. The audience watched every move, and during high-tension plays, choruses of “Let’s go, Eagles! Let’s go!” and timed claps resounded in the arena.
The early semester event was not the only new thing about this year’s Eagle Mania. Students got their first look at the updated Eagor the Eagle mascot. Eagor has brought energy and excitement to home games since his introduction in 1982. Throughout the years, many Eagors have been introduced, each bringing a new personality to the suit and captivating both children and adults. After enjoying his high-energy introduction, students are looking forward to seeing the new Eagor at future home games!
A number of things kept the energy high throughout the event. Between the scrimmages, students participated in group games. Volunteers from both the blue and white sides of the stadium competed in Eagle Pinball and King of the Hill. The Pep Band also showed their prowess and excitement to be a part of Eagles home games by playing fan-favorite songs as well as a few new ones.
Although Eagle Mania is already over, students can look forward to meeting their Eagles and Lady Eagles basketball teams before the start of the basketball season at Midnight Madness on October 11.