Wolfstock Weekend a Wild Success as Stony Brook Celebrates Homecoming

Seawolves spirit was everywhere at Stony Brook this weekend, as students, alumni, faculty and staff celebrated Wolfstock, the university's 44th annual Homecoming festival.

Nowhere was it in more abundance than Saturday's Homecoming football game, as the Seawolves defeated Towson University, 27-19, for their second straight Homecoming victory and fourth win this season.

Stony Brook ran out to a 24-3 lead on the strength of running back Roland Dempster, who had a career day with 181 yards on 40 carries and two touchdowns. Quarterback Quinn Boyd threw for 176 yards and his first career touchdown, a pass to Dez Williams.

The game was also memorable for its halftime festivities, which featured three lucky students - one very determined - who came away with remarkable giveaways. Joshua Isaac won a random drawing to receive one semester of free housing, while Carly Dunn beat out three other opponents in the bumper ball race on the LaValle Stadium field to win a semester of free tuition. Mark Koch won the $1,500 giveaway drawing for graduate students.

The first 500 students at the game received a limited edition Wolfstock T-shirt and thundersticks, which kept the noise level high for the 6,700-plus fans in attendance.

Halftime also saw the the annual crowning of the Homecoming royalty - Karega Atkinson Jr., Jaiden Francis and David Safo. The Homecoming Court included Madison Cinalli, Sarah Elbaroudy, Lana Gouda, Bryant Peña, Luca Rallis, Shanell Rollon and Christopher Yang. The Spirit of Stony Brook Band - celebrating its 20th anniversary - and the cheerleading team performed at the half as well.

Fans and other Seawolves of all ages flocked to the Wolfstock Village BBQ on Saturday, taking part in a variety of games and activities while enjoying delicious food. Alumni from the classes of 1961-1975 also came together for a special reunion celebration that honored the 50th anniversary of the Class of 1975, which was welcomed into the Brook Heritage Society.

The slate of Wolfstock events was wide-ranging, including everything from dean's talks and other lectures, the 15th annual Seawolves Showcase at the Stony Brook Arena, Homecoming Harvest, Spooky Brook, and many more.

Wolfstock also included "Meet the President" on Thursday, where the SBU community was invited to meet with President Andrea Goldsmith at the Charles B. Wang Center. In addition, Goldsmith took part in the Investiture Ceremony on Friday, as 10 distinguished faculty members were formally invested into endowed positions at the university.

Homecoming weekend wrapped up Sunday with the annual running of the Wolfie Dash 5K Walk/Run on campus. More than 800 runners took part in the dash, including President Goldsmith herself.

"Crossing the finish line was a thrill, but it was just one highlight in a weekend packed with truly memorable and meaningful moments with our wonderful alumni," Goldsmith said in her Instagram post. "I'm filled with pride, joy and deep gratitude for every experience and encounter."

View a gallery of photos by John Griffin and Rachael Eyler: