Join EOU for Homecoming, Oct. 2-4

Join EOU for 2014 Homecoming celebration, Oct. 2-4

News contact: Laura Hancock | University Advancement
541-962-3585 | lhancock@eou.edu

Kaitlin Cassidy photo / Members of EOU’s Cheer & Dance team lead football players through the Tailgate Zone in preparation for the Homecoming game.

September 26, 2014

LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – Eastern Oregon University’s 2014 Homecoming celebration begins Thursday, Oct. 2 with a unique theatre performance and wraps up Saturday, Oct. 4 with the Mountaineer’s first night football game at Community Stadium.

Theatre grads are returning to campus for a special presentation of “Back to Broadway: An Evening of Alumni Entertainment” at 7 p.m. Thursday in McKenzie Theatre in Loso Hall. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Alumni featured are Jocelyn Berado, Jae Laurence, Jennifer Slippy, Jeanette Smith, Jennifer Romriell, Nick Romriell and Jessica Waite.

The show also includes a sneak peek of EOU’s upcoming production, “Jekyll and Hyde,” starring seniors Rick Mugrage, Cailin Burke and Shahayla Ononaiye.

Friday morning at 9:30 is the annual Mountaineer Athletic Association Scholarship Golf Scramble at Buffalo Peak Golf Course in Union presented by La Grande Les Schwab. Cost is $75 per person or $300 for teams of four, with all profits supporting scholarships for student-athletes.

Registration for entries in the annual Homecoming Parade starts at 4:15 p.m. Friday at Max Square, with lineup at 4:45. The parade begins at 5 and proceeds east on Adams Ave.

Grand Marshals are Valerie and George Royes, of Summerville. EOU’s Distinguished Alumnus will ride in a 1913 Model T Speedster, and Interim EOU President Jay Kenton will ride in a 1988 Ford Tiffany.

Following the parade at 6:30 p.m. is the Alumni Honors and Athletic Hall of Fame Reception and Ceremony in the Gilbert Center adjacent to Ackerman Hall.

Alumni Award recipients are: Richard Chaves, Distinguished Alumnus; Mary Koza, Dixie Lund Service Award; and Ken Bruce, Honorary Alumnus.

Athletic Hall of Fame inductees are: Tom Norton, Jr., Football; John Bilyeu, Jr., Football and Wrestling; Brad Mills, Baseball; and members of the 2003-04 Women’s Basketball Team.

Weekend athletic activities include co-ed games of slow pitch baseball and softball open to all alumni. Participants should meet at 8:30 p.m. Friday at Pioneer Park. A fast pitch game of softball is also planned at 10 a.m. Saturday at Peggy Anderson Field.

Regular season games for EOU’s volleyball and soccer teams are also scheduled Friday and Saturday. Visit eousports.com for details.

Events on Saturday start off early with the second annual Homecoming Run at 7:30 a.m. sponsored by Edward Jones – Shawn K. Mangum. The 5/10K run/walk and one-mile children’s fun run features routes through the heart of campus and downtown. Pre-registration is $10 or $15 the day of the event.

Quinn Coliseum will be open for tours following an 11:30 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony. At 12 p.m. former students of the late Coach Bob Quinn will gather for a reunion in the newly remodeled facility.

Also starting at noon is a combined reunion for former resident assistants and retirement celebration for Linda Overlock, interim director of housing and residence life. Attendees will meet in the Hoke Community Room.

Saturday at 2 p.m. is the dedication of Zabel Hall 101 as the “Dr. Ralph Lewis Memorial Auditorium” in honor of the late Ralph Lewis, professor of geography at EOU from 1974 to 2008.

At 3 p.m., football fans will begin gearing up in the John J. Howard and Associates Tailgate Zone in the parking lot at 6^th St. and H Ave.

Food vendors are welcome to join the festivities to sell food and beverages in the Tailgate Zone.

EOU faces the College of Idaho with kick-off at 6 p.m., making this year’s Homecoming game the first to be played by the Mountaineers at night under the lights at Community Stadium.

For more information and to register for events visit www.eou.edu/alumni/homecoming, call University Advancement at 541-962-3576 or e-mail alumni@eou.edu. To reserve a space in the tailgate zone go to www.eou.edu/alumni/tailgate.