Homecoming! Alumni! Racing! Giant dogs!

Last weekend at L&C, Homecoming activities swarmed campus. Friday night at the Hall of Fame Banquet we inducted the 1982 Women's Swim Team, along with several other Pioneer athletic greats in other sports.

Saturday was the first annual Alumni Swim Meet. Over twenty Pio swimmers of the past joined us at the pool for a dual meet. Five of last year's graduating seniors made the trip home to see us, one coming all the way from Singapore. Seeing these men and women reconnect with their teammates was a blast. Grads stretching back more than 25 years joined in on relays and individual races. The whole morning kicked off with a greeting line and team cheers for this varsity vs. alumni extravaganza.

By the time I left for the Alumni tent preceding the football game, I was riding the high from a successful first go at this event and I know we'll have even greater turnout next year.

Our new mascot is Pio, a Newfoundland dog, played last weekend by "Buddy." If you've boned up on your famous explorer history, you're sure to know Meriwether Lewis and William Clark had a dog and that dog made the entire journey with them. That same spirit now leads our athletes onto the fields of play. Incidentally, Newfoundlands are excellent swimmers. More on that later....