Tournaments are bigger than ever for this years Homecoming Cytennial celebration. 

 “We have expanded them more than we have in the past,” said Joe Klaes, gold division tournaments chair of the homecoming central committee. 

 Participation for gold division tournaments has increased drastically this year.

 Until this year, tournaments have been done under one committee, but due to the expansion another gold committee has been added, said Klaes.

 “Last year there were 16 total teams on gold,” said Klaes, “this year we have 72 teams.”

 This year all the gold divisions have been maxed out and three new tournaments have been added — flag football, dodgeball, and laser tag.

 The new up-and-coming sport of spike-ball has also been added to this years cardinal division. 

 “A big goal for homecoming this year was to get all campus involvement, especially since it’s the hundred year celebration,” said Steven Harm, cardinal division tournaments chair of the homecoming central committee.

 Tournaments have been a part of Homecoming since the very beginning. They were originally intended for all students, but in 2004 they were split into Cardinal for the Greek community and Gold for anyone who wants to participate, said Harm.

 “Tournaments are important especially for non-Greek students to get to interact with people and get to know more people who they are playing with,” said Harm.

 Students who are not participating in a tournament are encouraged to come and support their Greek pairings or teams of their friends.

Most events will have bleachers or space for spectators.

 “It raises the spirits of Homecoming,” said Klaes.

 The tournaments committee wants to get resident hall teams to compete similarly to how Greek houses compete.

Klaes and Harm said that with the great turnout for the gold division this year, that will be very likely for next year.

 “The gold division tournaments are all individual based, each tournament will have its own winner,” said Klaes.

 The giant increase of student involvement in the gold division tournaments was a great success for the Homecoming central committee and a great kick-off to centennial Homecoming.

 Harm said, “anyone can feel like they are a part of Homecoming.”