By KATE PIERCE
News Editor
The annual MidKnight Madness rally to showcase student performance talent and kick off the season for the men’s and women’s basketball teams was held last Thursday night.
While the doors were scheduled to open at 8:45 p.m. some students came as early as 6:45 to wait for the highly anticipated free t shirts, and to hang out with friends.
“We needed to spend some time not having to think about all the stress in our lives, and instead just enjoy some time having fun together,” said Diana Welch, a junior who was one of the students to come early with friends. “We played cards, took pictures and just talked, which was great after a long week of classes and homework.”
When the doors finally opened the first 500 students were given MidKnight Madness T-shirts, which depict the famous landmarks of Albany with a basketball in the background.
Announcers Sonia Morreira and Tyriek McGraw made sure to get the crowd excited for the performances of the night with the assistance of music provided by Justin Campbell and Lauren Pelletier.
“I think an announcer is so important—the banter between performances and the excitement levels are all part of the job,” said Morreira, a sophomore. This is the first year she has hosted MidKnight Madness.
“It is electrifying to be in front of so many people,” she said. “I love the energy that the crowd gives off. It’s like I go to a different place when I stand in front of so many people. It’s exhilarating.”
The first performance of the night was provided by the Saint Rose cheerleaders.
“The cheerleading team helps get the crowd involved,” said Hannah Miner, a senior majoring in early childhood education with a concentration in Spanish. Miner has performed with the team at MidKnight Madness for the past three years.
“We are all a community and it’s nice to see everyone come together and show their support for the Golden Knights,” said Miner.
The first opportunity for crowd members to come onto the court was for a shooting contest, in which four contestants from the crowd were chosen. The two male contestants were each paired up with two members of the women’s basketball team, and the two female contestants were paired up with two members of the men’s team.
Each team of two was given a minute to alternate shots to see which team could earn the most points. Layups were worth one point, foul shots worth three, and three pointers worth five.
The other crowd participation contests of the night were a dance-off and a game of musical chairs. Following the shooting contest, the Golden Knights Dance Team provided the next performance.
“I think that the event really gives a positive look on the school where students can get together and get excited about the year ahead,” said Megan Anderson, a junior and member of the dance team. This year was the first time Anderson performed at MidKnight Madness with the team, but she has been coming to the events since her freshman year.
Other performances were provided by Knights in Motion, the ALANA Steppers, Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship and Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship.
“It’s a very energetic event,” said Damon Coleman, a senior member of the men’s basketball team. “It kicks off the season and shows school pride.”
After the student performances Jim Malone, home court announcer and “voice” of the Golden Knights, introduced each member of both the women’s and men’s basketball teams respectively.
“This is one of the best nights of the year,” said Zoe McDonald, a sophomore member of the women’s basketball team. “It’s the first time that the Saint Rose community comes together to celebrate the upcoming sports year.”
