News and Events

Press Releases

Midnight Entourage Friday Marks Beginning of Basketball Season  

In front of a capacity crowd at Firestone Fieldhouse, Pepperdine marked the beginning of the basketball season at Midnight Entourage on Oct. 13. The celebratory event included music, special performances, an introduction to the basketball teams, and the welcoming of Pepperdine's mascot by representatives of Pepperdine's 11 national championship teams, spanning seven decades.  

Friday night’s Midnight Entourage was the concluding celebration of what was “3 Days of Madness” – a school spirit-building series of events produced by Student Programming Board (SPB), Student Government Association (SGA), Campus Recreation, and the Pepperdine Athletic Department.

“3 Days” kicked off Oct.11, with a grass volleyball tournament and, later, a meet-and-mingle hour with the basketball coaches followed by a basketball skills session and contest for students. Freshman Adam Wall won the three-point shoot out and sophomore Stephen Fiamengo took home the gold in dribbling.

A session on ball-handling drills and tips from men’s basketball head coach, Vance Walberg, treated contest participants. But the showmanship award of the evening could have gone to women’s basketball head coach Julie Rousseau who showed up the half-court shot competition by making the toss backward.

A Derek Webb concert in the Sandbar rounded out the evening.

3 Days of Madness continued Oct. 12 with an SGA-sponsored tailgate party beginning in the Firestone Fieldhouse parking lot. The same night, the women’s volleyball team took on University of San Francisco in the Fieldhouse. The Pepperdine community attended a post-game showing of the popular 2006 basketball movie, Glory Road, in Elkins Auditorium.

Friday’s celebration kicked off, literally, with the women’s soccer match against conference foe the University of San Diego. The evening's activities began with the traditional Madness Village.