Midnight Madness ushers in basketball season at CBU

Riverside, Calif. (Oct. 26, 2021) — Karissa Allen, a theatre freshman at California Baptist University, stood with her friends outside the Events Center surrounded by thousands of other attendees for Midnight Madness on Oct. 22. Upbeat music blasted through the courtyard before the official beginning of the event. 

The wait “didn’t seem like that much because we were with friends,” Allen said.

Students began lining up hours before the start of the event to obtain the best spots for one of the most popular activities at CBU. When the doors opened, people flooded through, ready to celebrate the beginning of basketball season. Inside, the neon lights, a DJ and Lance the Lancer encouraged cheering and team spirit. 

Midnight Madness featured routines by the CBU cheer and dance teams, an introduction to both the men’s and women’s basketball squads, a 3-point shooting contest and a dunk competition.

“There was fog … and the players would come out with sunglasses. it made me think, ‘Woah, they’re so cool,’” Allen said. “It was a good chance to go with friends and be loud.”

The upcoming basketball season will be the Lancers’ final year in its four-year transition to NCAA Division I.

Rick Croy, men's basketball head coach, spoke excitedly about how it was possible to meet in person to welcome the new season again. 

“It is truly great to be back,” he said.

Last season, the women’s team won the Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship, the WAC Tournament Championship and advanced in a postseason tournament, ending the season 26-1. Jarrod Olson, women’s basketball head coach, received the Kay Yow Coach Of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the top coach of women’s Division I college basketball.

The men’s basketball team reached its first-ever WAC Tournament and finished the season at 13-10 overall and 6-6 in conference play. Croy recorded his 300th career win in December—making him one of the youngest coaches in college hoops with that accomplishment.

CBU's women tip off their season on Nov. 9 at the University of California, Riverside. The men host San Francisco State on Nov. 9 for their first game.

View the entire women’s basketball schedule here.

View the entire men’s basketball schedule here.