Elmhurst College hosted its first-ever Spirit Day on February 3, welcoming 58 prospective students and their families to campus for a pizza party, a men’s basketball game and a halftime basketball contest pitting Elmhurst faculty against staff.

The prospective students joined nearly 1,000 fans at R.A. Faganel Hall to cheer the nationally ranked Elmhurst men’s basketball team to a 96-70 victory over Carthage College.

Erik Crittenden led the Bluejays with a game-high 22 points, while Kyle Wuest (16 points, seven assists), Bryant Ackerman (14 points), and Will Nixon (10 points, six rebounds) all reached double figures in the win.

At halftime, faculty and staff faced off for an abbreviated exhibition game. In two four-minute halves, a team of eight faculty members defeated a team of 12 staff members with a final score of 7 to 4. KC Diedrich, assistant professor of kinesiology, scored the game-winning 3-point shot, and Tim Ricordati, dean of the School for Professional Studies and interim dean of admission, served as referee.

“The first Spirit Day at Elmhurst College was a resounding success,” said Admission Counselor Jordan Bartolazzi. “Nearly 60 prospective students joined our jam-packed student section to cheer on our nationally ranked basketball team after having a meal with faculty and staff. It was a great way to give students a taste of what life as a Bluejay is all about.”