Midnight Madness kicks off hoop season

Homecoming weekend began with a slam dunk.

On Friday, October 14, Neumann University hosted Midnight Madness, kicking off the start of the men’s and women’s basketball seasons. The main event was the raising of men’s basketball 2021-2022 Atlantic East Conference Champions banner.

Justin Smith takes a pass during a Midnight Madness scrimmage.

Considering their big come from behind win last season was only the men’s third conference championship win in program history, it was surreal to watch the banner rise. The ceremony honored the team; Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference, Jalen Vaughn; Tony James, Defender of the Year and Second Team All-Conference; and Head Coach Jim Rullo and his staff, who were named Coaching Staff of the Year.

As the banner made its way up at twelve o’clock, the crowd emphasized their appreciation to the team, congratulating the squad on their successes and encouraging them to continue with their resiliency in the upcoming season.

"Midnight madness was a good way to kick off the season for sure,” said Lindsay Holden, a freshman point guard. “We got to play with each other for fun and watch the boys play, too.”

All were welcome to join in on the festivities, beginning at 10 p.m. with events including a three-point contest and three-on-threes. The crowd was enthusiastic, cheering for fellow students as the clock pressed forward to midnight.

Following up on the action, Neumann’s new club, the step team, performed in front of a crowd for the very first time, showing off some impressive moves.

What better than to start homecoming weekend with Neumann pride, as both the men’s and women’s teams faced off in friendly scrimmages to end the night.

To find out when and where the basketball teams will be playing, head over to Neumann Athletics for schedules and results.