SAE hosts 70th annual Mudbowl

By Maria Simon

For the Daily

It's time for Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity to get down and dirty in the annual Homecoming weekend Mudbowl.

The big game against Delta Sigma Phi fraternity is scheduled for 12 p.m. Saturday outside the SAE house on South University and Washtenaw avenues just before the other big game - Michigan against Indiana University at the Big House.

The Mudbowl competition, a tradition dating back to 1930, follows flag football rules. Participants play two 20-minute halves.

The game will take place on the SAE lawn in a mudpit, which younger members of the house dug and chopped, said SAE vice president Abe Kane.

"It was a good way to get to know the people in the house," said Will Garcia, a first-year SAE member who helped in digging the pit.

The Ann Arbor Fire Department will spray down the pit Friday night and again Saturday morning before the game, Kane said.

"This yearly event is a great way to get both students and alumni involved in the Homecoming tradition. It's supported by the entire Greek Community," Interfraternity Council President Adam Silver said.

To determine who would face SAE in Saturday's competition, Delta Sigma Phi, Alpha Tau Omega and Zeta Beta Tau faced off in a football tournament last weekend, with Delta Sigma Phi coming as the victors.

"We are taking this with the utmost seriousness and look forward to winning," Delta Sigma Phi President Steve Lezell said.

Kane said SAE chose the fraternities to face off because ZBT and ATO have participated in previous years and Delta Sigma Phi is a close neighbor.

Other fraternities that declined to participate include Theta Chi, whose nationals would not let them play, and Sigma Chi, who already had an alumni event scheduled for that morning.

During halftime of the Mudbowl game, two sororities - Kappa Kappa Gamma and Sigma Kappa - will face off in their own flag football game in the mud. Kane said the decision on which sororities will play was determined by a house vote.

The Mudbowl raises money through local sponsors for Motts Children's Hospital.

So far sponsors have raised more than $1,000, said SAE President Karl Freimuth.