March 28, 2024

Wittenberg’s athletic department had an opportunity to kick off inauguration week by having a pep rally honoring Wittenberg’s 15th president Michael Frandsen.
The pep rally occurred on Monday, April 2 in Geil Lounge. Geil Lounge was packed with students athletes from every sport Wittenberg offered. The athletic department used the rally to recognize all the success from fall and winter sports seasons and ongoing success for spring sports. In addition, this past week was also DIII week; a week that celebrates student-athletes and their impact on the campus and surrounding community.
Throughout Geil Lounge and the stairwell, there were multiple series of action shots of a variety of athletes. At the end of the stairwell, everybody that attended grabbed a flashlight and glowstick with the hashtag #FrandsenFactor. To the right of the stairwell was a photo-booth and to the left was a poster that said “D3” and all Wittenberg athletes were able to sign it.
Prior to the pep rally, Founders was packed with people eagerly waiting for the championship game to start between Villanova and Michigan.
The pep rally started off by recognizing all sports representatives that make up Student Athletic Advisory Council (SAAC). To keep everyone occupied and attentive, there was a toilet paper game being played. The toilet paper game was a friendly competition as the goal was to wrap a person around in two rolls of toilet paper the fastest.
Charles Rodeheffer, ’19, a cross country runner, described winning for fall sports as “rough at the start but through perseverance and a strong finish.”
Before Athletic Director Gary Williams spoke, Isaiah Brock, ’19, told the crowd about the Men’s Volleyball team’s upcoming conference games on Friday and Saturday. If they won one or both of the games, they could make it to conference tournament. Someone from the baseball team spoke encouraging everyone to come out to Carleton Davidson Stadium to watch their next home games on Wednesday, April 11 against Adrian College and their double header against Oberlin on Saturday, April 14.
Williams spoke about the spirit of DIII week, inauguration and the Celebration of Learning. After he spoke, winter sports had theif toilet paper contest with the winning team being women’s basketball.
Delaney Williams, ’20, said that the contest was “nerve racking but we knew we were going to come out with the dub.”
Frandsen congratulated all of the athletes on their success this season. He also wanted to celebrate Wittenberg as whole institution. He wanted everyone to be involved and experience all of the things Wittenberg has to offer.
He ended the pep rally by telling us the symbolism of the flashlight/glow stick. We have the light and we need to pass the light on to others. He made the connection to Wittenberg motto “Having light we pass it on to others.”

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