Cornell Athletics will revive the Great Wait on Saturday, bringing back a decades-old tradition for students seeking men's hockey season tickets at Lynah Rink.
Students can begin lining up at 7 in the morning on Sept. 19 at Bartels Hall, where music and food giveaways are planned before ticket sales open at 9.
The Cornell Marching Band is scheduled to perform at 8 a.m. The first 200 students in line will receive free Cornell hockey T-shirts.
The Great Wait dates to the 1970s, when students sometimes camped for days to secure seats in the Lynah Rink student section. The tradition helped build the identity of the “Lynah Faithful” before going on hiatus in the early 2010s and returning periodically in later years.
This year's version replaces the overnight campout with a single morning. Laken Kelly, interim associate athletic director for engagement and partnerships, said the event historically helped students learn Cornell hockey traditions and build community.
Men's hockey coach Casey Jones said the student section's energy supports the team and that he is eager for a new group of students to join the tradition.
Students are being encouraged to leave phones and laptops behind as part of Cornell Unplugged, a university initiative running Sept. 14-20 that promotes in-person connection.
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