Homecoming 2018

Noteworthy events for the StFX sports’ fanatics

This following weekend is the annual Homecoming for StFX University. It is the biggest weekend in the entire year when all members of the StFX community, past and present, can come together and celebrate the school we all hold so dearly in our hearts. 

The weekend is jam packed with things to do, including many sporting events that will leave spectators nothing short of entertained.

To kick off this exciting weekend is the StFX Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. This will take place on Thursday, September 27 at 7:30 pm in the Schwartz Auditorium. This is an incredibly significant event for StFX Athletics, because of the importance in honouring those who paved a path for our current athletes to succeed. 

Members of the Sports Hall of Fame are members of the school community that built StFX into the athletic dynamo that it is today. As explained by the StFX Sports Hall of Fame itself, “Those chosen inductees have exemplified the spirit and ideals of Xaverian athletics in their professional and community lives.”

This year, the inductees include Eugene Belliveau (Football, Class of 1980), Adele Belliveau (Basketball & Field Hockey, Class of 1984), Glenn MacDougall (Soccer, Class of 1987), Randy Nohr (Basketball, Class of 2001), Jane (Hanley) MacGillivray (Builder), and the entire 2006 X-Women Rugby Team. 

The 2006 X-Women Rugby Team was the first female team at StFX to win a national championship title. X-Women Rugby has since managed to bring home four more national titles.

The following evening (September 28), all sports enthusiasts should make sure to check out the undefeated X-Women Rugby team as they take on the UPEI Panthers in their final regular season game on home turf. The game begins at 6 pm at the Oland Stadium and is sure to be a thrilling display of skill, hard work and camaraderie.

The X-Women Rugby team has been a powerhouse in every season game thus far and this weekend’s game should be no exception. After having faced off with Acadia last weekend, the team secured a spot in first place of the AUS.

The Homecoming Ceremonial kick-off takes place at 1:45 pm on Saturday, September 29 at Oland Stadium, just moments before the annual homecoming football game begins. At 2 pm our X-Men will be facing the undefeated Saint Mary’s Huskies for the second time this season. 

The two teams played a close match in late August where the X-Men fell short by only seven points. This game is an event that no true StFX fan can miss.

Our X-Men football team is coming off a big win from last weekend. Travelling to Sackville to play against Mount Allison in their homecoming, the X-Men clinched a win by

scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter, earning a final score of 35-27. Subway’s player of the game was Jordan Socholotiuk, who managed to run for 177 yards on 33 carries.

The fun doesn’t quite end after Saturday. Come to Oland Stadium on Sunday September 30 to catch the X-Women Soccer at 1 pm and X-Men Soccer at 2 pm. 

Both teams will be playing against Acadia. Acadia is currently in first place in Men’s and Women’s AUS standings, and two wins for our soccer teams would be a pivotal moment for the league’s standings.

The X-Women soccer team won two games last weekend against both Mount Allison and UPEI. The X-Men soccer team also managed to win both their games last weekend, with a noteworthy 11-0 win at Mount Allison’s homecoming.

No guests allowed in residence for Homecoming

residents get rowdy at Homecoming 2015 - photo: mikaela Jahrig

Homecoming is a weekend celebrated by many. Over a thousand StFX graduates return to campus every year, to catch up with old friends and see the changes that both the university and Antigonish have gone through since they received their X-Rings and walked the campus as undergrads. Current students see the weekend as a reason for celebration, and there are parties and community events back to back for the entirety of the three days. Saturday brings the crowd to the StFX field where, this year, the X-Men will kick off against the Saint Mary’s Huskies at 2pm for one of the biggest games of the season. Students come dressed in blue and white, with signs and face paint ready for a day hyped up with school spirit.

For many years, current students living in residence had the opportunity to sign in friends coming from different universities to join in the celebrations. The minute the sign-up opened, Resident Assistants (RA’s) and House Directors (HD’s) were bombarded with residents attempting to get their friends name on the coveted list. Once the weekend rolled around, bracelets were handed out and only those with the right coloured bracelet would be allowed into the corresponding residence. However, this year, the university has decided that guests are no longer welcome for Homecoming.

Bob Hale, Head of Student Services, states, “We have historically had a lot of damage by guests in the residences and we are trying to minimize it this year. There are lots of events to celebrate Homecoming, so honestly, I do not believe it will take away from the celebrations." Just last year, Homecoming resulted in thousands of dollars of damages in most residences, with broken ceiling tiles, holes punched in walls, and overall disregard for school property. Therefore, it seems logical that the university decided to ban guests completely, although students are certainly not happy with the decision.

Applications for Residence Assistants (RAs) were open much longer than normal last year, and Residence Life seemed desperate to get enough students willing to step up and man the halls of residences. This year, staff is extremely tight and many are working more than they had expected to be. Homecoming, especially when guests are welcome, is a stressful time for Res Life staff as RAs are posted at every doorway checking bracelets in each and every residence, not to mention dealing with conflict brought on by drunk, excitable students. RAs were reluctant to work in some residences, subsequently leaving them short staffed. Therefore, the decision to ban students from other universities appears to have also been brought on by the lack of staff to control situations that may arise.

Although many current students have expressed resentment towards the no guest policy, Homecoming is certainly a weekend catered to the returning alumnus, with campus tours, a Welcome Home dinner, and the President’s Reception and Golden Grad Dinner - this year honoring the Class of 1966 on the fifty-year anniversary of their graduation. Students and the university are still optimistic that Homecoming will go smoothly, provided weather is cooperative.