A little known fact that I feel compelled to share is how our school has a magnanimous reputation for giving away free merchandise and prizes to current and prospective students. I know this notion all too well after my firsthand experience of winning $75 worth of Colgate-branded paraphernalia during multiple rounds of bingo and trivia two years ago. Now, through the Colgate Athletic Department’s “Rowdy Raiders” Program, you can become just as lucky simply by showing up to select Colgate athletic events with a Raider Nation T-shirt.

The Rowdy Raiders is a new fan group open exclusively for Colgate students. Interested individuals can sign up for the group either online at gocolgateraiders.com or by filling out a membership card and returning it to the Huntington Gymnasium. From there, students can show up to 12 select home sporting events to get a chance at winning free Colgate merchandise and becoming eligible to win one of five great grand prizes. By checking in to the designated Rowdy Raiders table before halftime of a basketball or lacrosse game and before the third period of a hockey game, a student earns five points for attending the game and an additional five points for wearing a Raider Nation T-shirt. Students that earn five points (attending one game without a Raider Nation T-shirt) will receive one free T-shirt. But the free giveaways do not end there!

Students that earn 50 points (attending five games with a Raider Nation t-shirt) will receive a free Colgate hoodie. However, the magic number for students that want to win a grand prize is 55. Group members that attain that mark will be entered into a grand prize drawing and subsequently become eligible to receive a pair of Yankee regular season tickets or a $100 gift certificate to the Colgate Inn, Hamilton Inn, Colgate Bookstore or Valero. Fortunately, the most ardent Raider fans will be rewarded for their loyalty, as students who eclipse the 55-point barrier will be given an extra chance in the grand prize drawing for every five points that he or she earns. Therefore, students who attend all 12 games with their Raider Nation T-shirt will have 12 chances to win one of the five grand prizes.

The Rowdy Raiders promotion begins on Friday, February 1st, at the women’s hockey game against Cornell and will continue throughout the weekend for the most celebrated athletic event on campus when Cornell men’s hockey rolls into town the next day. Students may sign up for the promotion at any time, which runs until the women’s lacrosse’s game against Lehigh on Saturday, April 12th. Lists for the 12 Rowdy Raiders games can be found online and around campus, and the five grand prize winners will be announced in the April 24th edition of the Maroon-News. But all will not be lost for group members that fail to win the grand prize, as they will still receive NCAA Tournament ticket priority if a Colgate team qualifies.

Furthermore, stop by at the COOP on Tuesday at 11:30, as Raider will make an appearance at the COOP for the very first time to promote Rowdy Raiders and the upcoming men’s hockey game against Cornell on Saturday, February 2 at Starr Rink. The loveable mascot will be accompanied by two hockey players as well. So come by the COOP on Tuesday for lunch and check out the scene.