From Oct. 20 to Oct. 22 the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse hosted their annual Family Weekend, welcoming the families of UWL students to campus with various campus-sponsored events.  

Families could attend bingo, live band karaoke, magician shows and participate in a bean bag toss tournament. Among other events was the Homecoming football game against UW-Oshkosh. Many families set up to tailgate in the Roger Harring Stadium parking lot prior to the game.  

“This crowd has gotten bigger and bigger each year,” said Robin Winters. Her sons, Aaron and Nicholas Winters play on the UWL football team, and the family has tailgated the Family Weekend game in past years.  

Throughout the parking lot groups played bean bag toss, grilled and took pictures with UWL Mascot Stryker the Eagle as they waited for the game to commence. These pre-game rituals have become synonymous with Family Weekend at UWL. 

“We came for the game today and went hiking around the bluffs,” said Josh Bechel, father of a freshman saxophone player in the marching band. 

The UWL Screaming Eagles Marching Band, a key part of the game day experience, performed a few songs at the tailgate to preview their halftime show.  

UWL alumni Lisa and Troy Durkee attended what they estimated to be their fourteenth Family Weekend tailgate. “It’s a family tradition,” Lisa Durkee said.  

The couple met in the weight room of Micthell Hall in 1987 and when their son attended UWL as a student he met his wife in the REC.  

Their daughter, Lexie Durkee a third-year student at UWL said, “I love having a weekend to combine my home life with my college life. It makes me feel so whole to have all of my people in one place!”  

Gallery • 7 Photos

Isabel Piarulli

The crowd referenced by Robin Winters.