Annual event ready to bring fans back together in the Reilly Center
This Saturday, Oct. 20, students, faculty and fans will be in the Reilly Center for Fan Jam, the official kick-off of the St. Bonaventure University basketball season.
Every year, Fan Jam features introductions for the men’s and women’s teams, videos and highlights from past years, games and speeches from men’s head basketball coach Mark Schmidt and women’s head coach Jesse Fleming.
There are also performances by both the SBU dance team and the step team. Kate Montemalo, a junior political science major, is looking forward to the dancing portion of Fan Jam because “the enthusiasm of the dancers spreads to the student section.”
“I am excited to see what the step team and dance team have to bring to the court,” Montemalo said. “I love this part of Fan Jam because they work so hard and always have a cool routine to show us.”
St. Bonaventure is known to have one of the most supportive and crazy student sections in the A10s, and junior history major Theresa Rabbia believes Fan Jam is a big part of that.
“Our student section is straight-out insane,” Rabbia said. “We’re so small compared to other schools, but we are so much louder and have so much more hype, which really shows what Bonaventure is all about.”
Though Fan Jam is mostly about the hype for basketball, there is always the promise of a new wolfpack t-shirt, which junior spanish and education double major Lucy Sauter is most excited about.
“Fan Jam always makes me more excited for the upcoming season,” Sauter said. “I love the free t-shirt because I love feeling a part of the school.”
Seth Johnson, the director of athletics marketing and promotions, is excited to get the students more involved in Fan Jam this year, such as planning shooting games that will include students, rather than just players and faculty.
“In the past, we have had the shooting star contest, which was always a women’s player a men’s player and a faculty team,” Johnson said. “But this year we are having students sign up so we will have a freshman team, sophomore team, junior team and senior team, and the students of the winning team will get $300 worth of Adidas apparel.”
Montemalo loves to see the men’s and women’s teams introduced, especially the new players.
“It’s exciting to see the new freshmen players, and of course the old players that we have all grown to love,” said Montemalo.
Schmidt holds the men’s team together, but also has a big role in the success of our student section. Rabbia feels he works to include the students in the team dynamic.
“I think Fan Jam helps make our student section even crazier because coach Schmidt always gives a great speech thanking the students, which really helps us feel like a part of the success of the team,” said Rabbia.
Johnson is expecting all the same hype and enthusiasm as the students have had in past years, but “may have something up his sleeve” for the Bonnies this year to make this Fan Jam a little different.
The Bonnies faithful can also expect food trucks and games outside of the Reilly Center, if the weather permits.
By Emily Coughlin, Social Media Director
coughleg16@bonaventure.edu
