It wasn’t outside in the snow or set up on the tailgate of a truck. Cornerstone’s tailgate party took place on February 14, in the field house.

   On Valentine’s Day, at 1:15p.m., the school spirit began and students started to get excited for the men’s and women’s basketball game against Davenport. The tailgate party included free pizza, pop, face painting, basketball and hang out time with friends.

   “A tailgate party allows students to come together and hang out before a basketball game and get pumped, throw on face paint, make posters and just have plain old fun together before they head into the student section,” sophomore Chris Woy said.

   Woy believes the tailgate party is helping to increase attendance at games but one thing the CU student section needs to work on is standing up, to get louder and prouder that they go to Cornerstone University.

   “We did do one tailgate last semester and we want to continue to do them more often because we want to promote our sports teams and show our school spirit,” said Katie Azkoul, assistant director of commuter life and student activities.

   “It’s important to go to school games and events because it shows your school spirit and it shows that you love your school and that you are proud to be a student here,” Woy said.

   “It really doesn’t matter if you don’t like basketball or you don’t know anyone on the team, just being there and standing and just being involved is showing that you care for the school and want to support it,” Woy said.

      “I came from a big high school where we were bursting with school spirit and that’s what I want for Cornerstone. I want to become a part of the tradition of being in the student section for games and I want to help bring school spirit back in a huge way,” Woy said.

   “This event is great for students to get excited for the game, win prizes and get a rally towel but it is also a day where we are hosting a lot of alumni events to recognize alumni and there continuing support of CU,” Azkoul said.

   This alumni weekend event has become a tradition for the basketball program to invite former basketball players and honor them for all they have done for Cornerstone. This year was the 10^th anniversary of the 1999 National Championship Men’s team. The players from that team were recognized and the championship banner was raised in the gym for all to see.

   Other former teams and players were announced and Kim Elders celebrated his first men’s team from the 1993-1994 year.

   On February 21, another tailgate party took place where there was free Qdoba chips and queso dip along with Cold Stone ice cream. Following the tailgate party was “Pink Out,” a Breast Cancer Research Fundraiser where CU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams raised funds and awareness.

   CUSG will be hosting more tailgate parties in the future and even though CU’s basketball season will soon be coming to a close, they hope to do more tailgate parties and other events in the upcoming school year to get students involved in the sports community at Cornerstone.