Behind Arizona’s 39-3 Homecoming win over Iowa State on Oct. 24 were merchandise workers setting up tables two hours before kickoff, marching band members rehearsing about 16 hours a week and organizers planning a royalty crowning since mid-September.

Students, alumni and Wildcats fans gathered at Casino Del Sol Stadium on Saturday for Arizona’s annual Homecoming celebrations, which also marked 100 years of Bear Down, a tradition that has become part of the university’s identity.

For Anna-Rose, a first-year member of the Pride of Arizona marching band, Homecoming meant additional preparation and an opportunity to perform in front of returning alumni and Wildcats fans.

“We practice Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We’ve been prepping what we’re going to do with alumni, as well as practicing our pre-game performance,” Anna-Rose said.

The band also prepares for campus events and performances, with members spending roughly 16 hours each week at practice.

“It’s a lot of work,” Anna-Rose said. “Blood, sweat, and tears every week. A lot of repetition.”

For Anna-Rose, performing during Homecoming is different from a regular game because of the larger crowd of alumni, students and fans and the heightened spirit.

“People are very excited. I think there’s more school spirit,” Anna-Rose said. “There’s usually a lot of school spirit. But particularly now for Homecoming, there’s extra.”

As a first-year band member, Anna-Rose said adjusting to the demands of the program has been challenging but rewarding.

“It’s been a big adjustment ... and I think it’s been rough, but I think now I’m getting the hang of it,” Anna-Rose said.

New to Tucson, Anna-Rose said joining the marching band has helped her build friendships and become connected to the university community.

“I’m not from here, I’m from New Jersey, so it’s been lovely getting to know the Arizona community,” Anna-Rose said.

While the marching band handled last-minute preparations, other workers were getting ready to welcome fans arriving for the game. Employees at a university merchandise booth had begun preparing hours before kickoff to make sure fans could purchase clothing and accessories.

“We get here about two hours early, we put up all the tables, we put up all the (table)cloths, and then we’ll take out all the shirts, organize them by men’s, women’s and kids,” said Emma, a stadium merchandise worker.

The booth offered shirts, hats, accessories and more, with Homecoming bringing new items celebrating the university’s traditions.

“With these games, we have Bear Down 100 merch, since it is the 100th year of Bear Down,” Emma said, adding that Homecoming brings larger crowds and increased sales compared with other football games.

But Emma said the most meaningful part of the weekend wasn’t the new merchandise or the high volume of shoppers. It was seeing the Arizona community come together.

“I love everyone getting together for Homecoming and just celebrating this huge day,” Emma said.

Beyond the stadium, Homecoming provided additional opportunities for students and alumni to celebrate their communities and connections to the University of Arizona.

During the MLK Homecoming Royalty Celebration, students, alumni and community members recognized student involvement and celebrated the UA’s Black history and community.

Adiba Nelson helped organize the celebration, which brought together several university and community organizations. The event was a collaboration among the UA’s Black Alumni Association, the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Southern Arizona and the university’s MLK student organization. Preparations for the event began in mid-September, with organizers meeting to coordinate the celebration.

For Nelson, one of the most rewarding parts of the celebration was seeing current students participate and former students return.

“(I love seeing) all the students come together. Having my past students come back and getting to see them,” Nelson said.

The celebration also included the crowning of MLK Homecoming Royalty.

“This is our second year crowning MLK Homecoming Royalty and the students really went all out with it,” Nelson said. “They were so excited and that really warms my heart.”

The event also brought together alumni who wanted to continue supporting the university community.

Tanisha Price-Johnson, president of the University of Arizona Black Alumni Association, said Homecoming provides an opportunity to strengthen relationships.

“This bridges the campus and the Tucson community,” Price-Johnson said. “And being able to learn about Black history, U of A history, is what’s really important.”

Price-Johnson said the association’s work extends beyond Homecoming and that the group welcomes participation from the broader community.

“We are here and we’re for everybody,” Price-Johnson said.

She also highlighted the importance of recognizing the university’s Black community and continuing to create opportunities for students and alumni to connect.

“We have a vibrant and growing Black community here at the University of Arizona,” Price-Johnson said. “And we’re just going to keep doing it up and doing it big.”

The Wildcats’ victory over the Cyclones gave fans another reason to celebrate, but for the people who made Homecoming happen, the weekend meant more than the score.

Their jobs were different, but they shared a purpose: bringing generations of Wildcats back to the university.

As Arizona marked 100 years of Bear Down, Homecoming showed that the university’s traditions reach well beyond the football field.

Kyleigh Pandhi is a University of Arizona alum and freelance journalist based in Tucson. Contact her at kyleighpandhi@gmail.com.

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