Under bluebird Colorado skies and trees turned appropriately red and gold, DU students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members came out in force the third week of October to celebrate Homecoming 2022.
It was the first open-campus Homecoming since 2019, and visitors were treated to tours of the new Community Commons and the Burwell Center for Career Achievement, which opened during the pandemic, and a walking tour of DU’s Chester M Alter Arboretum.
Current students enjoyed festivities all week long, including a campus-wide capture-the-flag contest, ice cream sundaes and a DU drive-in movie experience featuring “Top Gun: Maverick.” These were just some of the many events hosted by Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence.
In addition to tents filled with food and drink, Carnegie Green was abuzz with music, stretching and dancing as participants gathered for the 10th annual Crimson Classic 5K run/1.5-mile walk. More than 800 people registered for the event. The top male finisher was law student Stephen May, and the female with the best time was Molly Smith, who works at University College.
DU’s signature Homecoming event, HocktoberFEST, took place the next day on Campus Green, where more than 1,200 people enjoyed music, food trucks and a beer garden featuring alumni-owned businesses.
“Homecoming is one of DU’s longest-running traditions,” said Chancellor Jeremy Haefner. “It energizes the entire community to see students, alumni, faculty, staff—and even those living in the community around DU’s campus—come out in full force to participate in Homecoming’s many fun events and share their DU pride.”
Hocktoberfest lived up to its name, as DU fans packed Magness Arena to watch the Pioneer hockey team, then ranked No. 4, defeat the No. 11-ranked Providence Friars 4-1 on Friday night and then 3-2 on Saturday. Before Saturday’s game, DU capped its national championship celebration by raising the 2021–2022 championship banner to the rafters for the ninth time in school history.
Other winners during Homecoming Week were the women’s volleyball team, who defeated South Dakota State 3-0, and men’s soccer, who took down Southern Indiana by a score of 6-0.
