No power lost at second annual Blackout Night

On Jan. 22 students, faculty and prestigious members of the community witnessed the grand opening of the newly completed Event Center. The grand opening was followed by the second annual Blackout Night, where an estimated 1,337 fans gathered to support the Mountain Lions men's and women's basketball teams.

Opening remarks were held in the 27,000 square foot center, where master of ceremonies Susan Szpyrka, associate vice chancellor for administration and finance, spoke, along with Board of Regents Chair Steve Bosely, University of Colorado President Bruce Benson, UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak and Student Body President Daniel Garcia.

Benson began by announcing that UCCS athletics will no longer have the smallest venue in all of NCAA Division II. "Today we are losing that distinction in grand fashion," he remarked.

The center has been named Gallogly Event Center after Alumnus James L. Gallogly and wife Janet, who donated $1 million to the CU Foundation.

After thanking the students and members of the community who were in attendance, Shockley-Zalabak expressed, "Special thanks to the parents of our athletes for sending your sons and daughters here. You are our most ardent fans, and you are appreciated." 180 UCCS athletes were in attendance, according to Szpyrka.

With the assistance of Vice Chancellor Brian Burnett and Garcia, the Chancellor proceeded to dunk a basketball, after which she and Garcia wheeled out UCCS' live mascot, Clyde, a mountain lion rescued by the Serenity Springs Wildlife Center and adopted by UCCS in 2008. 

The UCCS cheerleaders and Clyde lead the way to a tailgate party held in the old gym. The party featured enough buffalo burgers and other food (provided by Sodexho) to feed 1,000 people, photo ops with Clyde and a live performance by the UCCS dance team.

Both games played during Blackout Night were accompanied by cheering, stomping, chanting and body paint.

Ben Jourdan and Matt Seay, leaders of the student group F.I.G.H.T (Fans Initiating Growth Honor & Tradition) who co-sponsored the evening with Office of Student Activities (OSA), had sanguine comments regarding the night. "This is the best night I've ever seen," said Jourdan. "I feel it has raised school spirit already." Seay added, "This was a great opportunity for us to enjoy an event as a student body, it wouldn't have been possible without everyone."

The group gave away 500 free t-shirts, 400 leis, 1,500 cans of Monster Energy drink and a grand prize Monster cooler filled with prizes and awarded to the student wearing the most gold and black. The winner was student Keith Rely, whose bright yellow suit screamed school spirit.

Students and members of the community left expressing optimism for the future of the center and the impact it is predicted to have on the community, both on campus and off. "Athletics are very important for campuses," Benson told The Scribe. "The students can only benefit from a quality athletics facility. The more students we have coming here, the better things will be for Colorado."

Shockley-Zalabak shared the president's sentiments. "This is only the beginning of what this center will create for the students and community," she said. "This is a critical piece in creating student life."