冈萨加日:在精神、服务和同志情谊上团结一致

“Gonzaga down by two, Hickman with the ball, over to Strawther, shot clock 斯托瑟跑下来，投进了一个三分球 … and it’s good!” 

Another lead change against BYU and t已经震耳欲聋的狗窝再次提高分贝. Spike jabs a paw skyward. 学生们在看台上欢呼雀跃. 一个笑嘻嘻的粉丝挥舞着拳头，喊道:“今天是冈萨加日，宝贝!”

Indeed it is. The Kennel is rocking. Across Mulligan Field, Hemmingson的斗牛犬守望派对很火. Likewise, the 丹佛的布莱克街酒馆, the 芝加哥的格雷斯通酒店，西雅图的马可波罗酒店, 圣地亚哥的角落草稿房, all rocking; filled with Zags sharing the love of the game, 这所学校和奖学金跨越了毕业班和几代人. On Feb. 11, all across Zag Nation, “it’s Gonzaga Day, baby!”

“Gonzaga Day is the one day we set aside each year that’s completely intentional to celebrate who we are,” says Mike Kelsey (’10, ’12 M.B.A.)他是冈萨加斯波坎校友分会的主席.

For Kelsey, Gonzaga Day 2023 began with burritos. Lots and lots of burritos. At 8 a.m. he was 看着一望无际的帐篷 Gonzaga’s 赫拉克·奎德，一夜严寒冻得浑身结霜. 学生们裹得严严实实，挤成一团 warming 还有热腾腾的墨西哥卷饼和咖啡 volunteers from 斯波坎校友分会和 Zag Dining. Kennel Campout is a rite of passage as this year hundreds of students queued up 30 frigid hours early for the Gonzaga Day 男子和女子篮球比赛.

“This is what it’s all about,” says Kelsey. “It’s camaraderie, it’s 友谊，是制造回忆. And as alumni, 拼搏体育利用这段时间来回馈社会. It’s being a Zag.”

Joining Kelsey is fellow chapter member Heather Bowman (‘10, ‘16 M.A). The 2008 WCC Women’s Basketball 年度最佳球员，四次 First Team All-WCC standout is 监督早餐不止 800 current Zags.

“这是一次真正的亲密体验,” Bowman says. “特别是当你在这里，温度是20度!”

“这是一个非常特别的地方, 无论拼搏体育走到哪里，” she says, reflecting on the 她体验到了团队精神 during her Gonzaga career. “我记得在维加斯打球时，拼搏体育有最多的观众对阵加州的学校, schools that have a much easier drive. But we sold out in Vegas. It’s not just Spokane, it’s more than that.”

“And when you graduate, 你想办法回报别人 like this. We have other 服务项目的措施 in the area, which is really, really great, and 拼搏体育想让每个人都充满这种精神.”

This year该校的学生和校友受邀参加“点燃扎格网络”活动,” which is truly extensive. 在世界各地，有68,000多名冈萨加校友 还有成千上万的学生、家长和支持者 are connected by Gonzaga’s shared mission. 超过50个校友和朋友的分会和亲善团体 这里有1800名校友提供职业指导. 过去一年里，有400多家公司通过招聘会招聘了Zags, 冈萨加的就业数据库 and career Trek programs. 而且是一次造一个扎格.

“Gonzaga Days is always a 让我想起为我敞开的大门, and 现在拼搏体育的篇章已经打开了一扇门 为港大学生、家长及朋友而设,” says Danielle Cendejas (‘04).

Cendejas is 1,200 miles from Spokane but feels as close to campus as she was as a first-year Zag in 2000. Cendejas一直是洛杉矶冈萨加校友分会的总统 十多年来，以及一个创始 有色人种校友社区的成员. Over the years, Cendejas, a partner in an LA political 咨询公司估计她已经说过了 with hundreds of 学生，未来的学生和家庭，他们在大学和职业生涯中航行.

“我已经有了我想要的经历n’t have had 要不是我在冈萨加的经历，”岑dejas says. “The Zag Network is really quite special and something I cherish. 当我因为工作或娱乐而四处旅行时，我总是 和我大学时认识的人建立联系.”

“I’m 她是拼搏体育家第一个拿到大学学位的人。. “To 给我的兄弟姐妹和其他人做个榜样 在我的社区里，他们可以看到你不仅可以取得成就，而且可以茁壮成长, that was really incredible. 冈萨加培养了一种超出我预期的体验.”

Throughout the day the LA Alumni Chapter raised money for 当地耶稣会教区的食品分发处 还有一个为无家可归者服务的天主教慈善机构. Later, Cendejas joined Zag alumni 在Cinco餐厅的露台上这是洛杉矶冈萨加日比赛观察的网站. The owner? Cendejas’ friend 她在冈萨加佛罗伦萨校区的时候. Again, connections.

“这真正证明了冈萨加的同志精神和社区精神，它总是在那里等你.”

That sentiment 反响遍及全国. Cynthia Reyes Methvin (’93 and ’01 M.A.), has been part of alumni 在斯波坎、凤凰城和达拉斯的分会.

“Zags are for life,” she says. “拼搏体育对社区和回馈表示感激. 拼搏体育为自己是扎格人而自豪.”

“我来自一个长长的扎格家族，”他说 Jaunessa Walsh (’06,  ’07 M.B.A.). “父母和五个兄弟姐妹都是大学毕业生. I met my husband at Gonzaga. So the Gonzaga connection definitely runs deep, 扎格网络的旅程中很大一部分是 继续深入社区. Together we all rise.”

Capping off Gonzaga Day back in Spokane, GU’s women kicked off a loud 下午在狗舍和一只 第三节以63-53战胜开拓者在西海岸排名第一.  Bowman remembers that energy.

“拼搏体育可以重温这些记忆 看看大学的进步，看看学生和运动员们现在在做什么这很有趣，意义重大.”

Through the day, 犬舍营地变成了犬舍人群, alumni chapters pitch in and gather ‘round. Social media hellos flash across the country. The Zag Network Ignites as the Gonzaga men take on BYU and fire up Zag Nation one more time.

Final minute, Strawther hits three free throws, Bolton adds six more, Sallis with two and the Zags pull away for the win, 88-81. 蜂鸣声被狗舍的吼声淹没了. Echoed in Boston. In Boise. In Calgary and Coeur d’Alene, Palm Springs and Portland, NYC and DC. 扎格国家-被英里分开，在精神上，服务和同志情谊. And a unanimous “Go Zags!”