By: DANIELA PEREZ LEAL / STAFF REPORTER
On a sunny day with the perfect weather, LIU Brooklyn and LIU Post came together to celebrate one of the biggest days of the school year, LIU Homecoming 2022.
Like every year, Homecoming took place at the Post campus on Oct. 15.
Showing their Shark spirit and sharing their pride, alumni, students, parents and friends alike celebrated this day under an appropriately LIU-blue sky.
“I am so happy to join to the LIU community. This is my first homecoming, I am glad to create new memories and meet new people,” said Carlos Carrasco, a freshman majoring in business administration.
Throughout the day, attendees could be seen playing games and winnig prizes at the carnival, as well as occasionally treating themselves to a sweet dessert at the tailgate.
“The carnival is really fun. I like meeting new people and bonding over games and food,” said Nevaeh Ulibarri, a freshman majoring in biochemistry.
The football game took place at the Bethpage Federal Credit Union stadium, and LIU faced off against Saint Francis University. Five alumni, including three members of the 2002 championship team, Jeremiah Pope, Peter Lazare and Jon Isopo, served as honorary captains for the Sharks.
Before the game started, every LIU student at the stadium received gifts from the university to enjoy and wear.
Spectators supported the team throughout the game, despite a rough outing for the Sharks. The game was tied after one quarter, but then SFU pulled away with 16 points in the second quarter, eventually winning 57-7.
In addition to the spectators, the LIU dance team cheered on the team, dancing along with the music played by the LIU Post Pep Band.
The LIU baseball team also got their chance to shine.
During the halftime break, the team was honored and celebrated by the entire university, for clinching the regular season victory in May, as well as winning the NEC tournament.
The team showed off their trophy to the crowds as the players from the 2022 squad, including recent graduates like EJ Exposito and Joshua Loeschorn who were drafted to the MLB earlier this year, met on the football field.
In addition to the recognizing the performance of the baseball team, halftime was also a time to announce the results of the Homecoming queen and Homecoming king elections.
Two seniors from the Brooklyn campus, Jonathan Timal and Ayanna Khadijah II, were crowned king and queen.
“It was great knowing that I’m the Homecoming king. I was super nervous before walking on that field cause a lot had happened,” Timal said.
“I felt like it was a day about me even if it was for a little moment on that field. I did not go to my high school prom, so it was a long awaited time for me to be in a suit in front of my friends," he added.
It is important to mention that the day would not have been the same without the company of Finley, the new LIU mascot who, in a shark suit and a football jersey, took pictures and danced with all the attendees, especially the little ones who were at the event.
In addition to the game, the carnival and the tailgating, students were also able to walk around the stadium and shop for different items at the Browse and LIU stores.
Also, LIU dance team was selling cookies to raise funds for them, and and all the attendees showed their solidarity by supporting them.
To end the day, alumni gathered to remember their best moments at LIU.
Homecoming 2022 will without a doubt be in our memories for a long time.