Traditions Rally Set for Aug. 31 at McLane Stadium South Plaza

Free community-wide event features football pep rally, entertainment zone for students and children, “Leave Your Mark” tradition and Seth Ennis concert

WACO, Texas (Aug. 27, 2018) – Baylor University will celebrate the beginning of the 2018 football season with its annual Traditions Rally Friday, Aug. 31, on the south plaza of McLane Stadium.

Traditions Rally is a free, community-wide celebration held each year before the Bears kick off their first home game. This year’s event features a Baylor football pep rally with the Golden Wave Marching Band, spirit squads, Coach Matt Rhule and members of the football team, interactive games and a Baylor trivia contest and a concert with Seth Ennis to close out the celebration. The Bears will open the season against Abilene Christian University at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, at McLane Stadium.

“We’re looking forward to creating new traditions and bringing back favorite ones to kick off the 2018 football season,” said John Naya, Traditions Rally chair and a senior marketing major from Fort Worth.

Schedule of Events

5:30 p.m. – Food trucks open to the public at McLane South Plaza
5:30 p.m. – Kids Zone at South Plaza
5:30 p.m. – Student Tailgate (students only/student ID required)
5:30 p.m. – Student Entertainment Zone on Touchdown Alley
7 p.m. – Pep Rally
8:15 p.m. – Seth Ennis in Concert

New this year for Baylor students is the Student Entertainment Zone at Touchdown Alley, which will feature a 24-foot climbing wall, large-scale Battleship and Operation games, a euro bungee trampoline and foot darts, a kick accuracy contest. The Kids Zone on the south plaza will include inflatables and free snow cones for kids 12 and under.

Traditions Rally also will feature the beginning of a new tradition, “Leave Your Mark,” as this year’s senior class (2019) and freshman class (2022) sign the gold stripe that runs down the Baylor Line Tunnel at McLane Stadium.

This year’s concert will feature up-and-coming Nashville singer-songwriter Seth Ennis, whose songs “Woke Up in Nashville” and “Look at You” have hit 30 million and 20 million Spotify streams respectively. Ennis won a battle of the bands competition in Nashville, securing a coveted performance spot at the CMA Music Festival. He caught the ear of one of the competition’s judges, producer Corey Crowder, and eventually landed a record deal with Sony Music Nashville. Crowder is now in the studio with Ennis, co-producing Seth’s debut album. Ennis’ latest song, “Call Your Mama” featuring Little Big Town, is available now on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music and iTunes.

“There’s no better way to kick off the football season in Texas than with the Baylor family, good food and live music,” said Dakota Farquhar-Caddell, associate director of student activities and The Robert L. Reid Director of the Baylor Chamber of Commerce. “Traditions Rally will be especially dynamic this year with brand new pep rally elements and features, a unique and vibrant student entertainment zone, and a special area for children to enjoy inflatables and games. Everyone will have something to enjoy and celebrate the Baylor spirit.”

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 recognized academic divisions.