[media-credit name=”Matt Powers” align=”alignright” width=”375″][/media-credit]

The Student Government Association’s (SGA) senior class cabinet put on its first ever Men’s Hockey pre-game event for seniors only on Tuesday, Oct. 20 before the game against the University of Maine.

The first 100 seniors to reserve a $2 ticket were invited to attend the pre-game in the basketball concourse at the TD Bank Sports Center at York Hill, where they were fed endless appetizers, allowed to purchase drinks at a cash bar and admitted into the hockey game for free.

Every senior was required to bring photo identification when picking up the ticket, as well as when they arrived at the event. Seniors under 21  were able attend the event but did not receive a wristband allowing access to the cash bar.

The pre-game event began at 5:30 p.m. and ran until game time.

SGA’s Senior Class President, Matthew Powers, said the senior class cabinet came up with the idea after a similar event was put on prior to a basketball game when he was a sophomore.

“We wanted to adapt that to a hockey game and do the same kind of thing,” Powers said.

To get approval for this event, the senior class cabinet had to meet with facilities to make sure space was available to hold a large group of people.

Then the senior cabinet met with Executive Director of the TD Bank Sports Center Eric Grgurich to make sure he was on board with the idea.

Finally, catering was set up in conjunction with Chartwells.

Since SGA sold alcohol at the event, the organization had to follow specific regulations for admittance.

“We have to check [seniors’] birthdays through the university’s system. We I.D. them when they buy the ticket and also at the door. People can still come if they’re not 21 and they’re a senior, but they won’t get a wristband,” Powers said.

Bartenders only provided alcohol to students with wristbands and facilities put a 100 person cap on the event due to the limited amount of space in the basketball concourse.

SGA hopes to have another event before a basketball game in the spring that will draw people to both women’s and men’s basketball.

“I’m kind of excited that it’s a senior event because we don’t really have any just senior events,” senior Amanda Stephan said.

Senior Nikki Schultz believes the pre-game is a safe environment, even though alcohol is served.

“It definitely brings people together,” Schultz said. “I think it’s a great idea that SGA is actually putting on a drinking event in a safe way…not in an unsafe way.”

Despite the excitement from seniors, some underclassmen felt a bit excluded.

“I am wondering why underclassmen can’t go and just not get wristbands. It should be welcoming for everyone,” freshman Rachael Durand said.

Powers said the goal of the pregame was mainly for seniors to socialize with each other, as well as with SGA, and to rally more people to attend the men’s hockey game.

“We want to get seniors excited about our sporting events,” Powers said.