Special Celebrations Surround Tiger Football Game on Saturday

In addition to an important Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference football game between Trinity and DePauw, there were many other special events going on at the Trinity Football Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Trinity has been in the midst of celebrating the inauguration of Dr. Dennnis Ahlburg as the school's 18th President all week, culminating in the investiture ceremony on Friday afternoon.  The University is also celebrating Alumni Weekend, welcoming back former students to the campus.

Dr. Ahlburg and former Trinity President Dr. Duncan Wimpress joined the festivities at the football game before the game started, as both were joined by captains from the Trinity and DePauw football teams to perform the coin toss.   Trinity won the toss, but DePauw won 32-31 in the end, keeping its unbeaten season alive.

At halftime of the game, Dr. Ahlburg and Director of Athletics Bob King honored five student-athletes who won national championships recently in track & field, diving, and tennis.

Last spring, Todd Wildman won his second straight NCAA Indoor Pentathlon Championship, as well as earning CoSIDA ESPN Academic All-American honors for the second straight year as well. 

Just days later, Lindsay Martin and Hayley Emerick won National Diving Championships on the 1-meter and 3-meter boards, respectively.   Martin was also the NCAA Diver of the Meet and the SCAC Diver of the Year, while Emerick won her third straight SCAC Diver of the Meet award at the SCAC Championships and was chosen as a CoSIDA ESPN Academic All-American.

Earlier this month, men's tennis All-Americans Bobby Cocanougher and Cory Kowal won the USTA/ITA Small College National Doubles Championship, becoming just the third men's tennis players in school history to win the title.

All five national champions will receive rings from Trinity University.  Speaking of rings...

The biggest surprise of the day came before the game started - and even happened before Dr. Ahlburg and Dr. Wimpress made their way out for the coin toss.

Former Tiger football player Shaun Irchirl proposed to his girlfriend and Trinity alum Kira Noreiga.  Irchirl was a defensive back for Trinity from 2004-07, and was a part of the famed "Mississippi Miracle" Play at Millsaps in 2007.  He dressed up in the Tiger mascot suit to complete the surprise...lucky for him, she said yes!