At 8 p.m. Sunday night, Oct. 31, a campus-wide pep rally will be held in Yost Center on the Hesston College campus. Previously dubbed “Midnight Madness,” “Hoopla” is in its second year with a goal of being more accessible to the community. The event is open to the public and free of charge.

A dunk contest, three-point shoot out and a brief skit by each team are just some of the activities planned in what promises to be an entertaining evening. The college’s Campus Activity Board will sponsor several activities throughout the night, and current Hesston College students will be involved in the event.

“We moved the event to 8 p.m. last year and were pleased with the results,” said sports information director Andrew Sharp. “We’re hoping that by keeping the event earlier in the evening we can get some good community participation.”

This year’s rosters include more than 30 student-athletes from 11 states, and head coaches Dan Harrison (women) and Dustin Galyon (men) each anticipate a great season. Both coaches are entering their third year at the helm of Hesston College basketball.

“I think we’ll have good guard play and be able to shoot from the perimeter,” Harrison said. “I love what the returning players have meant to our roster so far. They’ve brought a positive attitude and great leadership.”

“We’ll have the benefit of tremendous leadership and production from our sophomores,” Galyon added. “This is a special group of returners who are genuinely excited for the success of their teammates.”

The Hesston College women’s and men’s basketball seasons get under way on Tuesday, Nov. 2, with home games versus Union College (Lincoln, Neb.) at 6 and 8 p.m., respectively.