It has become a tradition at Allegheny College for alumni, current students and their families to come and celebrate a weekend of entertainment on campus, during the fall. This year, the
designated three days of action are highlighted by four Gator sporting events in the friendly confines of the Robertson Athletic Complex.
“It’s a very exciting time whenever we can have our alumni coming back on campus,” said Athletic Director Bill Ross. “Having all of the parents coming in at the same time makes for a very vibrant
campus. Of course, you want to be here when there is something fun going on.”
What used to be classified solely as Allegheny’s homecoming, Blue and Gold weekend now fosters a smorgasbord of events that are tailored to an exciting weekend for everyone who represents the culture. Along with the games themselves, there will also be giveaways and merchandise tents set up for the community to enjoy.
Not only will this be an opportunity for former students to make a return to what they once called home, but for others, it could be their first or second time getting to experience the college. Ross detailed the numerous phone calls he has received from parents across the country asking for more details about this weekend. He said because this has been in the making for quite some time, parents and other family members have the ability to plan ahead and make coming here a sure thing.
From an athletic perspective, Ross described the advantage of this year as opposed to others. In the past, this event would have been held a week earlier, but Ross and his team designated the Blue and Gold ceremony later in the month because many more Allegheny athletic programs had home games.
“Hopefully it’s going to result in a lot of wins,” Ross said. “We’re going to have a lot of fans at the events, so that’s my hope. For any of our athletic teams, we really appreciate when we have a large fan base in the stands cheering them on. You cannot overestimate the importance of having that, with the energy the players feel and having it motivate them.”
The weekend is packed with different sports, all being featured on Saturday. The athletics open up with field hockey battling the Bishops of Ohio Wesleyan. Men’s soccer and women’s soccer will both play Washington and Jefferson at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday’s events will be capped off with the Gators’ football team matching wits and locking horns with No. 24 Carnegie Mellon. Finally, field hockey will play Oberlin College on Sunday at 1 p.m.
“Even if you’re not a family member or particular alum of that sport, if families are looking for something to do, something exciting to see, see the school spirit alive, come on out to one of the athletic contests,” Ross said. “It’s showcasing what we have and showcasing the spirit that can be found on campus.”
An important figure working behind the scenes this weekend is Travis Larner, who has been titled as the institution’s sports information director since August 2022. Into his second year, Larner has kept busy and his hands are in all of the athletic pots — this weekend will be no different.
His job is extensive and at times unforgiving. While he handles the broadcasts, the live stats, the game recaps and more, people still find reasons to call up to the school and complain.
This weekend Larner will be bouncing from facility to facility. With student workers to help with the process, all hands are on deck and preparation is key for success. Despite the lack of appreciation at times, Larner is still thankful for the opportunity.
“I started (as an SID) as a graduate assistant, as an intern during the 2014-15 school year. This is what I’ve done for nine years, close to a decade. I enjoy being at the games and watching our athletes compete and succeed. Although the schedules are a little tough with always working nights and weekends and having plenty of other work to get done during the day, I don’t know what else I would do if I wasn’t doing this.”
A unique opportunity involved with the football game is announcing the prolific 2003 Gator football team, who were winners of the North Coast Athletic Conference — the last title brought home in the sport.
At halftime, each member to show will be represented at midfield in front of the sea of the crowd. The college will recognize their perfect 7-0 record in conference play, and all the hard work that went into it.
It is an important accomplishment for the unit. Ross decided that the Blue and Gold festivities would be the perfect opportunity to revere them not only to make it easier on his staff after having the Hall of Fame ceremony the previous weekend, but also to have the rest of the alumni support one of the most influential sports on campus.
This is just scratching the surface of what the entire weekend entails. Outside of sports, there are plenty of activities to indulge in. For more information, schedules are available online at https://sites.allegheny.edu/blueandgold/.
