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Izzone campout will take place this weekend at Munn

September 23, 2005
Tents and camping paraphernalia of Izzone hopefuls littered Munn Field in front of Breslin Center at last fall's campout for tickets. —

There's still almost a month until the MSU men's basketball team can officially practice for the first time, but for its student section, the season begins this weekend.

Returning ticket-holders and lower-bowl hopefuls will stake out Munn Field on Saturday night for the Izzone Campout and a chance to secure their seats and spend some time with each other.

"It's kind of like when you bring your family together for a family reunion," senior Associate Athletics Director Mark Hollis said.

"It's a bonding situation."

Students who were in the lower bowl last year are guaranteed lower-bowl seats again if they complete the campout.

The rest of the lower bowl will be filled by returning upper bowl and new students who complete the campout, with priority going to those with the best attendance at last year's home games.

There are 1,483 lower-bowl tickets, and Izzone co-director Aaron King said that in each of the last two years, every alternate that's completed the campout has received a seat in the lower bowl.

But that might not be the case this year due to a large number of returning students and an exceptionally large interest shown by freshmen, King said.

"It's really good for us to have that much energy coming in," King said.

"I know that some extras will be able to get seats, but I'd be hesitant to say that every extra will."

Some have complained that for the second consecutive year, the campout falls on the same day as a mandatory recruitment period for women who are considering rushing a sorority.

But King said students who would be guaranteed lower-bowl tickets if they attended the campout can be excused if the event conflicts with another university-related activity, including greek recruitment.

To do so, students need to fill out a form at the Student Alumni Foundation office in the Union by today.

The exception only applies to students who would have a guaranteed lower-bowl spot - students who would be alternates cannot be excused from the campout and retain their spot on the waiting list.

"If I'm an extra and I'm going to come to the campout, I'd feel kind of slighted if someone who had class was able to miss the entire campout and get tickets ahead of me," King said.

Joe Shipman, a nursing freshman and first-year Izzone member, said he's got no problem with returning members missing the campout for other reasons.

"If they went through the campout before, I think it's probably fair," Shipman said.

The event will feature visits from the basketball team and cheerleading squad, an EA Sports NCAA Football 2006 tournament, and a big-screen TV to watch the day's college football games.

Unlike last year's campout, where snow flurries and below-freezing temperatures left campers huddling for heat, this weekend's forecast is calling for temperatures in the 70s and a chance for thunderstorms on Sunday.

And, as in previous years, head coach Tom Izzo is expected to campout alongside the students.

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