Long before students were making last-minute thrift store runs and color-coded ensembles, AS was gearing up for the campus-wide anticipated Nationball event to be held on Thursday, Sept. 15, since the installment of the new AS staff in May.

Bringing in one of the highest turnouts along with Midnight Madness and Mock Rock, Nationball is built into the budget every year according to sophomore Jennifer Essig, AS Spirit Board chair.

“Students love this event and it’s really popular among the students so we do it every year,” Essig said.

Nationball builds community in dorms

Junior Lacey Anderson, an Alpha Hall resident assistant, said that Nationball is a time where the dorms can get together, have a good time and build community.

“It is something we can experience together and bond as a dorm,” Anderson said.

Nationball is nothing short of a production. With the excessive face paint, full body suits and booming drums, some pre-game antics showcase the more unusual rituals of some dorms like Emerson, who can be seen stalking the soccer field before entering into Chase Gymnasium.

Only one scheduled Nationball event this year

The tournament will be held only once this year as opposed to being a bi-yearly event as it was the past two years. Essig said that the low turnout in the spring prompted her and the spirit board team to opt out of hosting a spring Nationball tournament.

“It is more special once a year because it’s more rare and students get more into it,” Essig said. In lieu of the spring Nationball tournament, Essig said that another event is already in the works, although it could not be disclosed.

Dorms connect during competition

Game time does not fail to live up to the hype of the excitement leading up to it. Year after year, the chivalrous men of Emerson come to the rescue of their sister dorm, Alpha.

“I think its a cool way to connect our dorms,” Anderson said. “It’s silly but it’s sweet.”

Hope and Horton, the two largest dorms on campus, await the epic battle to claim victory over the other as the most dominant on-campus dorm, while Stewart and Hart maintain their alliance to become what is known as “StewHart.” Finally, there is the dorm that gives definition to “last but definitely not the least”: Sigma Hall, who always seem to make their presence known through dorm spirit. The Off-Campus Community remains to be the “dorm” to beat.

OCC students prepared to defend last year’s victory

Christen Brown, senator of the reigning Nationball champions, OCC, said that OCC is ready to clinch another victory this year.

“We’re going to win,” Brown said. “I remember last year had a really good turnout and we’re expecting the same turnout this year.”

Nationball is just one part of the year-long dorm competition where dorms and OCC compete for points to be crowned dorm champions. Claiming triumph over all the other dorms brings the winning team a whopping 1,000 points.

Other opportunities to receive dorm points include finding the elusive Biola egg, which rakes in 500 points, and winning best-dressed, worth 100 points. The winning dorm will enjoy a breakfast at the dorm and champion T-shirts at the end of the school year.