This past Thursday, March 17, students, faculty, staff and the Wilmington community turned in their St. Patrick’s Day t-shirts and their green attire in order to bleed teal as the UNC Wilmington’s men’s basketball team took on the Duke Blue Devils in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Students, faculty and staff were invited to view the game at Trask Coliseum while enjoying complementary pizza and beverages, along with a food truck that was parked in front of Trask for those who wanted to indulge.

Chancellor Sartarelli also extended the invitation to the Seahawk community, alumni and friends of the university. The turnout of the event had jaws dropping and the Wilmington community on their feet.

For many, walking into Trask was undoubtedly a lifetime experience. With over 2,000 attendees screaming, chanting, clapping and pounding their feet in approval of 3-pointers and breakaway layups, the atmosphere was electrifying. Many believe this is just the beginning of a whole new level of school spirit.

“Something like this is definitely boosting our school spirit,” said freshman Kyle Robinson. “I got some friends to come out that normally don’t come out to athletic functions. It’s great to see them make the tournament like this and it’s a great start to my first year in college here.”

A halftime show was orchestrated by Director of Campus Life Arts & Programs Stephanie Norris, as well as Director of Campus Activities & Involvement Center Jon Kapell. Entertainment included a performance by UNCW’s dance group Physical Graffiti and a game of “knockout” between fans.

“We didn’t know what to expect considering it was in the middle of the day and we’ve never done this before,” said Norris. “I think we have always shown pride in a different way, and so I think for us to rally behind athletics verses rallying behind school traditions or color is important. I think for this it’s about getting our name out there and supporting our Seahawks while telling everyone how great Wilmington is to the whole country.”

Along with free food and beverages, posters were made of Keatts which everyone was encouraged to sign in order to show support. These posters were also handed out to people throughout the game by Tia Mcnair, an intern for Arts & Programs.

“This event is definitely bringing out school spirit that nobody knew we had,” said Mcnair. “It helps that we are gaining more fans in the process.”

As the game drew to a close, there wasn’t enough screaming, chanting or clapping that could make the Seahawks take the lead. The Seahawks fell to Duke 93-85. While many were hoping for an underdog victory, the Wilmington community couldn’t be more proud.

“I’m sad that we didn’t have a Cinderella story, but there is always next year,” said avid fan and freshman Amanda Duncan. “I hope that people realize we aren’t ones to be played around with. We are a D1 school that has a lot of potential.”

As another season comes to a close, the anticipation for another great season is just a few months away.