On Friday, members of student organizations decorated the Millennium Student Center bridge to celebrate the start of 2020 Homecoming. (Photo by Mona Sabau)

A surging basketball team, elaborate choreography, pancakes that look like cartoon characters – it’s just a sample of what’s waiting at the University of Missouri–St. Louis this week.

To experience the fun for yourself, make plans to attend UMSL Homecoming.

Festivities span several days and offer opportunities for everybody to join in. Homecoming gives everyone in the university community a chance to add some excitement to a winter weekend.

1) You’ll be part of a historic Triton basketball season.

The cornerstone of the week is Pack the Stands at the Triton basketball game, and it’s a great year to cheer on the team. Men’s basketball is in the midst of the winningest season in program history.

The women’s team also has a lot of talent to showcase, and you can see both teams up close at the Thursday night game against Lewis University.

“Pack the Stands is can’t-miss,” said Jessica Mode, coordinator of student activities. “We’re going to be watching the game and focusing on that, which is always really fun.”

Pro tip: Pack the Stands is your opportunity to break out your UMSL gear, and you might win free swag during the game.

2) There’s plenty to do even if you don’t like sports.

Not everybody enjoys basketball, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be bored at Pack the Stands.

“Up in the balcony, we’ll have food, prizes, giveaways and different activities,” Mode said. “If you’re not totally into sports, you can still go and participate and have fun.”

There are a ton of non-sports events throughout the week, including the Chili Feed that pits faculty recipes against each other, the Tiny Tritons Pancake Breakfast featuring artistic Dancakes and the gourmet Dinner & Dance that tops off the week’s festivities.

Pro tip: Pack the Stands activities are family friendly, so all ages will find something to enjoy.

3) You’ll see Triton creativity at its most fun.

Student organizations bring their best choreography and costumes to sing along with popular songs at the admission-free Lip Sync Competition on Friday night. With a $1,000 co-sponsorship prize on the line, they do what it takes to create an evening of top-notch entertainment.

“They choreograph a dance and music to go along with that, then they put on their own show,” Mode said. “They entertain the audience. If you’ve ever seen ‘Lip Sync Battle,’ it’s kind of like that but with an UMSL twist.”

Triton creativity is also displayed throughout campus with elaborately decorated offices, sculptures made from canned goods and intricate paintings on the Millennium Student Center bridge.

Pro tip: The art on the MSC bridge makes an amazing Instagram background.

4) You’ll help shape a growing tradition.

Homecoming has been part of UMSL since the first queen was crowned in 1963, soon after the university was established.

There have been changes over the years, including moving homecoming from basketball season to soccer season and back again. The event keeps evolving, such as when king and queen titles were changed to royalty, with both spots open to any gender.

“It’s one of those big campuswide programs that we can all help build together,” Mode said. “It’s something students, faculty, staff and alumni can get behind, something really cool that we can work to grow.”

Pro tip: You can check out photos of UMSL Homecomings from decades past by searching the keyword “homecoming” in this photodatabase.

5) You’re a member of the UMSL family.

There’s something special about being a Triton, about belonging to a university dedicated to supporting the local community and transforming lives. Homecoming brings the entire campus together to celebrate that.

“We can all show our Triton pride and show why we love this university and why we want to see it grow in the future,” Mode said.

For students, homecoming is a can’t-miss college experience. For alumni, it’s a chance to relive campus memories and make new ones.

Pro tip: You don’t have to be a student or graduate to enjoy homecoming. There’s something for everybody.