Midnight on the SF State campus is usually dull, dark, and dreary. The buildings are as dark as the surrounding air and the misty fog settles into the dim yellow lights scattered across campus. The sea of humanity that is found on campus on a Wednesday at 11 a.m. is long forgotten. Everything is serenely peaceful.

But, on one night a year midnight is a special time to bring students out of the dorms, away from their homes and back out onto the campus for a party. They all congregate at one place for this rare midnight campus party—the gym.

The annual Midnight Madness celebration was held last Thursday night and into early Friday morning to celebrate the beginning of the basketball season for both men and women of SF State. The Student Athletes Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted the event, and athletes from all over the SF State Athletics program attended to show their support.

Oct. 15 is the first day the men’s and women’s basketball teams are allowed to practice. To promote the teams and have a celebratory event marking the start of practices Midnight Madness is held.

“We want to kick things off with a special event,” said Sonja Garnett, a member of the women’s softball team and co-president of SAAC. “The best part of Midnight Madness is the crowd. We fill the gym and everyone has a great time. For me personally, I enjoy the music, community and spirit that combine to form this event. It is awesome.”

Amidst continuing rock music that filled the gym, the Midnight Madness events took place. The SF State cheerleaders performed first to get the crowd going. They did somersaults across the basketball court and with each twist and turn in their bodies, the crowd cheered more and more. While cheers erupted for the cheerleaders, laughter erupted for the next event—a game of musical chairs.

Fans along with members of the basketball teams came to center court to try to be the last one sitting. Most of the contestants got eliminated when they sat on the same chair as someone else or were simply not quick enough to find a seat. Leslie Miller, a member of the Lady Gators basketball team, was too quick for the other contestants and won the contest.

The cheerleaders and the musical chairs game gave the crowd much to be festive about, but the loudest ovations came for the Iota Phi Theta “Assassins,” a dance group who sent the crowd into an uncontrollable frenzy. For many people in the crowd, the group of men was worth the price of admission. They danced in center court to some rock music and with each rhythmic move of their legs and arms the crowd got more and more into it.

Several people echoed the comments of Meredith Carlton, 19, about the Midnight Madness celebration itself and the group from Iota Phi Theta.

“Those guys can move,” said Carlton about the Iota Phi Theta brothers. “Midnight Madness seems to be a good way for students to see how passionate athletes are about their sports. I’m having an awesome time and the atmosphere is incredible.”

Once the crowd settled down the basketball teams were introduced and a quick five-on-five pickup game started with members of both the men’s and women’s teams. With this, Gator basketball was officially underway for the 2004-05 season.

SF State Athletic Academic Coordinator Eileen Daley helped organize the event and assisted in leading the midnight madness festivities. With athletics at SF State going through tough times in terms of budget cuts and other cutbacks, events like Midnight Madness help provide a boost in an otherwise gloomy time.

“Midnight Madness helps promote school spirit,” said Daley. “Students can participate in an on-campus activity that deals with sports and promotes unity. For new students or freshmen, Midnight Madness shows them that SF State has athletics and that it can be celebrated.”

The first home games for the Gators are scheduled for Nov. 15 with the Lady Gators taking on Notre Dame de Namur at 6 p.m. and the men’s team going up against Humboldt State at 8 p.m.