Perfect weather. An in-state rival. A few new traditions.
It’s shaping up to be a great Homecoming at Campbell University.
The festivities begin Friday night with the annual Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony, and Saturday’s slate will begin at 8:30 a.m. all the way up to a 4 p.m. kick-off at Barker-Lane Stadium against North Carolina A&T.
Below are just some of the highlights of this weekend’s fun. For a full schedule and more information, visit https://alumni.campbell.edu/homecoming/
Alumni Block Party
One of the new aspects of Homecoming 2024 is the Alumni Block Party, which will run from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Cornelia Campbell Alumni House on campus.
According to Director of Alumni Engagement April Ganong, the Block Party replaces the former Alumni Village and will serve as a “welcome ceremony” for alumni, their friends and families to enjoy music, games and food before the parade at noon and Pepsi Tailgate Town following that.
“We think it’s a great way to start the day, and we hope this event marks the start of a new Homecoming tradition,” Ganong said.
The Block Party will include live camels, picture opportunities with mascots Gaylord and Gladys, music from the “alumni house band” Bantam Rooster, food trucks (Mr. A’s Beignets, Pankacii Express, Curbside Cravins and Sunset Slush), a KidsZone, a caricature artist and various department alumni reunions.
At 11 a.m., the Fighting Camels cheerleading squad will lead a pep rally with football head coach Braxton Harris making a special appearance.
Distinguished Alumni
The Campbell University Alumni Association will bestow the Distinguished Alumni Award upon three of its graduates — Dr. Christopher Dague (’09), Neal O’Neal (’96) and Wanda Watkins (’79, ’81) will be receiving the prestigious distinction at a formal dinner and ceremony Friday evening inside the Oscar N. Harris Student Union.
They will join a group of 187 individuals recognized as Distinguished Alumni in the University’s 137-year history.
Dague was a dedicated teacher at Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville and the winningest baseball coach in the school’s history. He is a former adjunct professor at Campbell University’s Fort Liberty campus and is today an associate professor at The Citadel, where he won the school’s Innovation in Teaching Award in 2023.
O’Neal is a third-generation pharmacist who has played an integral role in advancing health care services in eastern North Carolina, particularly in rural areas of Beaufort and Hyde counties. His leadership and advocacy efforts were instrumental in getting those areas early access to the COVID-19 vaccines in 2020.
Watkins was Campbell University’s first female scholarship athlete in 1985 and went on to become the 29th-winningest coach in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history before retiring from the sport in 2016. She spent the next seven years in athletics administration at Campbell before her full retirement this past year.
“The achievements of all three of our Distinguished Alumni reaffirm the great pride we have in our alma mater, and they serve as inspiration for the next generation of Campbell alumni,” Ganong said.
Traditions Return
Saturday will begin with the annual Golden Club Brunch at 9 a.m. in the Oscar N. Harris Student Union. The Golden Club celebrates graduates celebrating their 50th reunion.
Following the Alumni Block Party and pep rally, the Homecoming 2024 Parade will roll down Main Street from the Convocation Center to the edge of campus beginning at noon. The parade will again feature floats from University clubs and organizations, in addition to the Sound of the Sandhills Marching Band.
Pepsi Tailgate Town will begin outside of Barker-Lane Stadium at 12:30 p.m. and run up to kickoff. The area will include food trucks, inflatables, yard games, live music, face painting and booths from local businesses and campus organizations.
The Big Game
The Fighting Camels will host North Carolina A&T at Barker-Lane Stadium at 4 p.m.
The Camels (2-5) are coming off a close loss to nationally ranked William & Mary, while A&T (1-6) is reeling after a 59-17 loss to Hampton University.
Last season, Campbell downed A&T in the season finale, 28-14, after jumping out to a 28-point lead in the first half and cruising the rest of the way. The two teams also met in 2022 with the Aggies winning 45-38.
Limited tickets are still available by visiting https://gocamels.universitytickets.com/w/.