UPLAND, Ind. — Taylor University’s Silent Night basketball game – a tradition where students pack the school’s Odle Arena in costumes and remain silent until the Trojans score their 10th point – once again delivered the mix of Christmas spirit, creativity and end-of-semester release that has defined it for decades. For two Menomonie High School graduates, sophomore Micah Cameron and freshman Grant Burns, the experience offered familiar excitement for one and a week-long introduction to campus culture for the other.

Silent Night began in the late 1980s with students attending in pajamas, and the now-famous 10-point celebration started in 1997 where the student section remains completely quiet (silent) until the Trojans score their 10th point. When that shot drops, the students erupt in a celebration that spills across the floor. No technical foul is issued for the celebration when the student body rushes the floor, as an immediate media timeout pauses the action until the floor is cleared.

After a 118-33 win over Moody Bible Institute Dec. 6, Taylor is 27-1 all-time in the event, which is always held the Friday before finals week. The game draws sold-out crowds, includes a postgame campus-wide Christmas party and the game ends with students singing the classic Christmas favorite “Silent Night” in unison over the final two minutes of the game.

Cameron, attending Silent Night for the second time, said the tradition remains a highlight of his year – one students anticipate long before the calendar flips to December.

“It’s a great tradition and something we look forward to all semester,” Cameron said. “Silent Night takes place the last Friday before finals, and people start lining up about a week in advance. Floors or wings will claim a spot in line and then that spot must be occupied by somebody 24/7.”

Cameron experienced that overnight commitment as a freshman.

“My roommate and I spent the night in line freshman year, and stayed up all night playing games which was super fun,” he said.

Although he didn’t dress up this year, Cameron said his friends took part in themed costumes — another hallmark of the event. “A lot of my friends did a Star Wars theme,” he said. “Each floor or wing typically dresses up as a certain theme.”

For Cameron, Silent Night is more than spectacle. “Overall, it’s a super fun tradition, and a highlight of the semester,” he said. “It’s a great way to take some stress off from studying for finals as well.”

Burns, a freshman living on Foundation – the first floor of Samuel Morris Hall – experienced Silent Night for the first time, including the predecessor to the game itself: camping out all week in the Kessler Student Activities Center to secure a prime entry spot.

“I went with my floor to Silent Night,” Burns said. “We dressed up as John Wick. Derek Kolstad came up with the concept of John Wick. Kolstad lived on Foundation during all four of his years at Taylor. He was the inspiration for our costumes this year.”

The week-long campout, Burns said, was as memorable as the game. Floors brought couches, tents, TVs, and spent hours playing games and watching sports.

“Camping out was amazing,” he said. “I probably averaged eight hours per day in the KSAC… Lots of card games, video games were played and sports were watched throughout the week.”

By Friday, Foundation had secured a spot near the front of the line outside Odle Arena.

“Once the doors opened, we rushed to our spot on the sideline opposite the Taylor bench,” Burns said. “Staying quiet (during the opening moments of the game) was really hard. It was just my natural instinct to start cheering when shots were made.”

When Taylor finally scored its 10th point – on a dunk – the release was instant.

“His feet hadn’t even hit the ground before me and the rest of everybody was out onto the floor,” Burns said. “The huge crowd was amazing, the energy was bigger than any event at Taylor.”

Burns said the postgame tradition was equally meaningful.

“Singing ‘Silent Night’ at the end of the game was also pretty amazing,” he said. “To be able to praise God and celebrate Jesus’ birth with all of Taylor, it’s a pretty special moment.”

After a week of energy, little sleep and campus-wide anticipation, Burns said the experience exceeded everything he’d expected. “Silent Night week was by far my favorite week of the entire year,” he said. “I’m already looking forward to next year.”

Layne Pitt retired as the longest serving sports information director at UW-Stout and also worked more than a decade at the Dunn County News.

Menomonie Collegians is a regular feature of Menomonie News Net. The column is not limited to student-athletes, but may be a former Menomonie area student in a play, forensics, music or any type of collegiate competition. If you know of a Menomonie Collegian, please email [email protected].

Menomonie Collegians by Layne Pitt is licensed under a CC BY SA 4.0 International license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

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