By Leighton Geraghty  – Contributor

The best time of the year is right around the corner in Lennoxville. Homecoming weekend is set to last from Thursday, Sept. 26th until Sunday September 29th. As alumni will be welcomed back into town the Gaiters prepare for must win situations. Six games over Four days will see many people fill into the Grand stands in Coulter field. Thursday night will see an 8:30 pm faceoff between the Gaiters men’s Lacrosse team and their rivals the McGill Redbirds. The game has a lot on the line for the Gaiters as they look to impress the crowd on the opening night of Hoco. Friday will see the first of two double headers of the weekend. Women’s soccer will kickoff against Montreal, a powerhouse in the RSEQ. Following the soccer game, Women’s Rugby will play a must win game in hopes of making the playoffs for the first time in program history. The 8:15 pm kickoff between the Gaiters and the McGill Martlets is bound to be a great match as both teams are battling for their lives. Continuing onto Saturday the undefeated football team who has outscored their opponents 132-7 in the past two games looks to stay perfect as they will defend homefield against Saint Mary’s. Finally Sunday will consist of another double header. The Men’s rugby team kick’s off at 1:00 pm against a nationally ranked McGill team, followed by a 4:00 pm kickoff between the Women’s soccer team and the Laval Rouge et Or.  

All eyes will be on the athletes as they battle for playoff positioning nearing the end of their seasons. Although the weekend is filled with joy and excitement by many, some suffer under the stress of making sure the games run smoothly. The Gameday staff will have their hands full as they set up to receive some of the biggest crowds of the season. You may be wondering what goes into preparing for such a heavy set weekend. As part of the Gameday staff, I can tell you that Rachel Bayer (Sports Information Coordinator – Marketing, Sponsorship & Home Events) and Marty Rourke (Manager of Communications – Athletics & Recreation) have been preparing for the past weeks to make sure they have every step of the way planned out. Organization is key when you have so many events in the same weekend. Everyone needs to be on the same page in order to make sure that the games run smoothly. One person’s mistake could be costly and affect the whole atmosphere of the weekend. Although some staff may be anxious for the weekend they are more than ready to cheer the Gaiters on and Bleed purple.