More than 300 students from dozens of greek and independent organizations participated in the Homecoming Week Opening Day games Monday in Irving Gym.
Twenty tug-of-war teams and 30 obstacle course and dodgeball teams signed up for Opening Day games, Jennifer Regnier, Homecoming Steering Committee publicity chairwoman, said. Teams were divided into four divisions: independent, resident hall, fraternity and sorority.
Winning teams received trophies at the bonfire at LaFollette Field afterward.
The faculty and staff Homecoming king and queen also were named at the bonfire. Assistant Professor of History Richard Neel and Instructor of English Kelly Stanley won the honors.
Regnier said the Steering Committee started planning the games in March and 24 students ran the event.
Junior Rob Kramig, telecommunications major, said he was glad to see people get excited about the games and Homecoming Week because it was great for the atmosphere around campus.
Kramig, who participated in the dodgeball tournament for Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, said he was looking forward to the rest of the week's events, especially the Bed Races on Friday.
Junior Shane Highsmith, marketing major, said he has gone to the games each of the past three years and helped Delta Gamma Iota fraternity capture its second-straight title in the tug-of-war tournament. He said this year's team was the same as last year's and was not challenged as much as last year.
"It's good camaraderie," he said. "There's competitiveness, of course, but people are still shaking hands. ... It makes us remember that we're all Ball State students no matter what organization we're in."
Regnier said the games ran smoothly and did well in getting campus ready for the rest of Homecoming Week.
"By the looks of it all the participants really enjoyed it," she said. "Overall it was a great way to kick off Homecoming Week."
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