On Thursday, Oct. 19, Westmont Activities Council hosted the annual Midnight Madness rally to get the student body excited about the upcoming Warrior basketball season. 

Midnight Madness MC’s — second-year Wade Teel and third-year Grant Oswald — began the night with enthusiastic energy. “I was super nervous but mainly excited. I remember hiding behind the bleachers while everyone was pouring into the gym,” said Teel. “But as soon as the intro song came on and I got out there with Grant, I just became really excited and all my nerves went away. It was such a fun night.” Teel and Oswald introduced both the men and the women’s Warrior basketball teams and students in the crowd erupted with cheer. 

The basketball teams were accompanied on Thursday evening by side acts from other groups on campus: N-Step, Westmont Cheer, the Westmont men and women’s acapella groups and more. Midnight Madness is no doubt an event for everyone. 

First-year student Molly Garnand shared her experience attending Midnight Madness for the first time. “Midnight Madness brings excitement for the season and overwhelming energy for the team. It’s super motivating to physically stand before the school you represent on the court,” she said. “My favorite part by far was just being able to see and feel the energy in the room.”

As the 2023-2024 basketball season approaches, students are looking forward to showing off the work they put in over the offseason. Men’s basketball athlete Zeke Viuhkola shared his excitement for the upcoming season, “This year I’m really looking forward to showing who we are as a team and for everyone to see what we’ve been working on,” he said. “I hope we can get the same type of energy we saw the other night cause it was really cool.”

The Westmont men’s basketball conference challenge event takes place Nov. 10 and 11 in the Murchison Gym. Women’s basketball will also be competing in the event, but in Monmouth, Oregon. Cheer on the Warriors as they begin Division II play!