University of Florida - Tower / Seminole Yearbook (Gainesville, FL)

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THE WHOLE NIGHT WAS AWESOME. THE STEP CONTEST SET TI-IE TONE. -BLAKE QOLDFARB SOPHOMORE Gator fans young and 01d came together to celebrate at the festivities of Midnight Madness and to wish the basketball teams the best of luck on the upcoming seaons. Junior Lindsey Lipsky enjoys the night with her little sister. Photo by lose Otero 18 MIDNIGHT MADNESS MIDNIGHT MADNESS The most exciting countdown 0f the year was pakced with over three hours of entertainment for man anxious fans of the Gator basketball teams. Midnight Madness, a yearly tradition signaling the Official start of basketball season, was held October 17th in the O'Connell Center. It was comprised of many activi- ties leading up to the long awaited, first official midneight practice session of both the men and women's teams. Pre-basketball activities began at 9 pm. whent he doors Offically Opened to the public. Activities included a concert performance by local band Star Sixty Nine and an autograph session with the palys and coaches of both teams. There was also a step show with various fraterni- ties and sororities. Blake Goldfarb 2L8. Basically the step contest set the tone for the rest of the night. By 11 o'clock there was still more in store for the fans. Companies like Dodge, Papa John's and Alltel sponsored activi- ties of their own such as a shoot-out con- test for a Dodge truck, a sumO-wrestling contest and a shoot and seek cell phone contest. At 11:59 pm. the crowd was ready for the countdown, lead by a performance by the Dazzlers. One minute later the events of the night had advanced to the time everyone had been waiting for. The women's team was introduced, while throwing autographed basketballs t0 the fans. Later, Billy Donovan, head coach of the men's basket- ball team, led the team out onto the floor. They were introduced to the same Cheering crowd and began with i drills, scrimmages and a slam dunk contest. By the end of the night basketball fans were looking forward to the start of a great season. Stephanie Murdoch The whole night was awsome, said i The Rowdy Reptiles gather for an early reunion at the O'Connell Center. The fans dawned the Orange and Blue in support of their favorite team, the Gators. Photo by Jose Otero Men's basketball players sign auto- graphs for anxious fans. Both groups anticipate and successfull season. Photo by lose Otero

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GATOR SPIRIT Whether students cheered as athletic teams competed for top spots in the SEC or presented research findings at national conventions, Gator pride ran deep in the hearts of students and alumni. There was good reason for 50,000 alumni to return back on game day and for the number 12 rank in alumni giving. The love of a university of which they had been a part, a university they helped develop, Clearly gave them that reason. As the flagship university in the F lorida school system, the academic and research colleges rank top in the nation. A federally-funded brain institute, the world's largest citrus research center, a microkelvin facility and a 100- kilowatt research reactor are just some of the factors that help hold positions in national rankings. True Gator pride can only be seen on the athletic fields and in the stands, as bragging rights and national titles are routinely on the line. Dominating the SEC, the Gators have 1 1 straight SEC All-Sports trophies and are one of only two teams to have ranked among the nation's top 10 athletic programs for each of the past 20 years. What all this translates into is heated rivalries between schools like Ten- nessee, Georgia and Florida State. Evident around campus, students' pride could be seen hanging from balconies, attached to cars and most notice- ably worn. These extensions, occasionally taken to ex- tremes were evidenced on game days with painted faces and orange and blue outfits and a bus painted orange and blue with a gator head on the hood. With the continued growth of the student body, it is obvious that the accomplishments of the university will continue to grow, expanding on an already diverse back- ground. And while only time will tell, it is clear even now that, It's great to be a Florida Gator. -Sean Riley SCHOOL SPIRIT AT UF IS LIKE NOWHERE ELSE. YOU CAN TELL THAT THE STUDENTS AND THE FACULTY LOVE BE- ING HERE! -DIANA DELGADO FREQHMAN Members of the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity get ready to attend a home game by painting GO GATORS on their bodies. This was only one of the ways that they would exhibit their enthuthiasm about Florida games. Photo by lose Otero GATOR SPIRIT l7

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mm mm game I mm 01:21 At the beginning of Midnight Madness, Star Sixty Nine performs before the teams take the court. Photo by lose Ote' 0 One of the many activities of the evening was a shoot- out contest for the fans. Young fans play on the court before the strike of midnight. Photo by lose Otero Students and fans pickup the annual basketball schedule for the 2003-2004 season. Photo by lose Ote'ro MIDNIGHT MADNESS