Before tomorrow’s basketball games against the Missouri Western Griffons, Missouri Southern athletic alumni will have the opportunity to reunite.

From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center, the Alumni Association will host the 2nd Annual Athletic Reunion.

“It’s a time to mingle and share stories,” said Elisa Bryant, alumni relations coordinator. “It’ll be a casual get together to get the alumni pumped up for the basketball game.

“Just get them back in the green and gold spirit.”

As a welcome to any athlete who has ever worn a Southern jersey, the Alumni Association will provide meet and greet time and serve hors d’oeurves. Bryant said one of the main purposes is to support Lions basketball.

“That’s one key we really want to push,” she said. “We had a really good turnout last year and so we hope that it will be something special this year, too.”

Lee Elliff Pound, director of the Alumni Association, said this event brings a recurring enjoyment to the University.

“We always look forward to having our alumni come back on campus and we are really excited to not only have our Joplin Junior College athletes, but to have some younger alumni come back and help us celebrate,” she said.

Last year, the event focused on the athletes of the Joplin Junior College, whereas this year, all athletes are encompassed. Bryant said the association received great feedback after the first event, and hopes the same pattern will follow for this year.

“Last year it was a lot of fun, the alumni athletes got up and gave their stories and testimonies when they were here,” she said. “It was neat, they brought back their yearbooks and their programs from their games. It’s easier to stay connected for them because they’ve seen Missouri Southern grow, and they’ve seen the athletic teams prosper.”

With a wider span of alumni, Pound and Bryant hope this event will grow into more than one reunion. They hope the fall and spring seasons will bring specific athletes closer together.

“The younger alumni definitely need to meet these athletes and hear their stories,” Bryant said. “The athletes that are here now can see us grow and maybe they can participate in this someday. They can come back and see how much it’s grown and be a part of it as well and give back to their individual sport in time and support to their team.”

The athletic reunion is one of the many ways the Alumni Association tries to keep people involved with the University. Bryant said the reunions are just stepping stones to allow people to give back to their past organizations, events and institution.

“I feel like it’s the best way to stay connected,” Bryant said. “I think we can be of a lot more use to everyone on campus, and I don’t think everyone sees the benefits we can do.

We’re just trying to get the Alumni Association’s name out there. We’re starting with athletics and hope to just keep building.”