‘W’ marked the spot at Homecoming 2005

This year’s UW–Madison Homecoming celebration featured a pirate theme and events for alumni and current students. Activities were held Oct. 14-23.

Alumni returned to UW–Madison to participate in events such as a golf outing, a charity run/walk, parade, fireworks and pep rally. Students took part in team relay events at the Badger games, helped clean up the campus, created banners for judging and display, tried to “yell like hell,” and built floats for use in the Homecoming parade.

Events culminated on Oct. 22, when the Badger football team took on the Purdue Boilermakers in Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers beat the Boilers, 31-20, for the Homecoming win.

On Saturday, Nov. 5, the Badgers travel to Penn State in State College, Pa., to battle the Nittany Lions for the top spot in the Big Ten. The game starts at 2:30 p.m.

Photo of fireworks erupting over Lake Mendota, as seen from Memorial Union Terrace.

Fireworks light up the sky over the Memorial Union Terrace and Lake Mendota following the Homecoming parade, one of many pirate-themed “W Marks The Spot” Homecoming activities sponsored by the Wisconsin Alumni Association.

Photo of undergraduates driving a Society of Automotive Engineers mini Baja car down State St.

Much to the delight of people gathered for the Homecoming parade, undergraduate students Pete Myszka, driver, and Nick Katrana, providing balance, pop a wheelie while driving a Society of Automotive Engineers mini Baja car down State Street. Numerous groups of spirited students and organizations traveled on foot and in decorated floats down State Street during the Homecoming parade.

Photo of Jack Ikegwuonu running down the football field shortly after intercepting the ball.

Badger defensive back Jack Ikegwuonu (No. 27) heads for open field as he runs an interception 62 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter during the Homecoming football game at Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers went on to defeat Purdue, 31-20.

Photo of law students attempting to throw their canes over the goal post.

After running the length of the field at Camp Randall Stadium, Law School students attempt to toss their canes over the south goal post before the Homecoming football game against Purdue. Although the origin of this 1930s tradition is murky, the goal for the students is to toss their canes over the goal post and catch them on the other side. Legend holds that those who do so successfully will win their first legal cases; those who don’t or who catch the wrong cane will have to settle.

Photo of a crowd of alumni, arm-in-arm, singing "Varsity" on the Badger football field.

Long after the crowds have left after the Homecoming football game, members of the Wisconsin Alumni Association Homecoming court and committee gather around the “motion W” logo at midfield and sing one final round of “Varsity.”

Photos: Jeff Miller