Running of the Freshmen: Brand new tradition begins at season opener
A brand new tradition will begin next week in Tennessee Tech’s Tucker Stadium just prior to the first football game of the 2013 season when TTU President Philip Oldham will lead the charge onto the field for the first-ever Running of the Freshmen.
Freshman Class of 2017 first to lead team onto field
at Tennessee Tech’s initial Running of the
Freshman
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – All great traditions must be built
stronger over time.
And, every great tradition – such as the National Hot Dog
Eating Championships, the Indianapolis 500, the Running of the
Bulls in Pamplona, or the Little League World Series – had to
start somewhere, at some time with the very first one.
A brand new tradition will begin next week in Tennessee
Tech’s Tucker Stadium just prior to the first football game
of the 2013 season when TTU President Philip Oldham will lead the
charge onto the field for the first-ever Running of the
Freshmen.
The University’s roughly 2,000 incoming freshmen are invited
to join in the event Thursday evening (Aug. 29), joining President
Oldham in ushering the 2013 Golden Eagle football team onto the
field prior to kickoff for the season opener against Cumberland
University.
The freshmen – Tennessee Tech’s class of 2017 –
will assemble inside the stadium for the run. Every freshman
participating will receive a custom-designed, limited edition
t-shirt to commemorate the event.
Oldham and mascot Awesome Eagle, along with the mob of freshmen,
will join the Golden Eagles as they take the field for the 7 p.m.
contest.
“This type of event is only being done at a handful of
schools around the country, and it’s been hugely
popular,” said Leveda Birdwell, Athletics Coordinator of
Corporate Sales and Marketing. “We looked at ways to help get
our students involved, and this was a natural. President Oldham was
excited about the opportunity to lead the freshman class onto the
field.”
“It should be a lot of fun, and we think it can turn into a
highly popular tradition through the years,” Birdwell
said.
The freshmen are gearing up for a very busy first week on campus,
beginning Thursday with the annual Great Move-In Day. Before
the start of classes on Monday, the weekend also includes the
annual Freshman Convocation and group photo on Friday, Dancing on
Dixie Friday night, a Color Run on Sunday.
Two athletics events are also on the schedule this weekend, and
both include free admission. The Golden Eagle volleyball team hosts
a Purple/Gold Scrimmage Saturday at 3 p.m. in Eblen Center. On
Sunday, the Golden Eagle soccer team plays its first home match of
the regular season, with a 1 p.m. starting time against
Evansville.
For more information on any of the freshman events, including the
start of the Running of the Freshmen tradition, please call the
Athletics Ticket Office at (931) 372-3940.
