- At Country Night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) fans dressed in plaid shirts, denim jeans and cowboy hats while Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum and Blake Shelton songs played in the background.
- “We try to attach a theme to almost all of our men’s hockey games,” said Lynne Rozario, corporate sales manager at the MAC. “Hockey players love country. … It’s laid back, it’s good times.”
- For the first ever Country Night, the MAC collaborated with partners like radio station KX Country and Rock 'n' Horse Saloon.
- The MAC offered activities like line dancing and mechanical bull rides. Ryerson student Nav Marwah battled the bull valiantly before being thrown to the floor.
- There were many games and giveaways throughout the night. One lucky fan even won a trip to Cuba.
- “I’m a country kid at heart,” said Zoe George, a second-year student from the Ryerson Dance Pak, “so it’s fun to pretend to not be in the city for a while.” Members from the Dance Pak, from left to right, Zoe George, Katelyn Olsen, Marlee Liss and Annie Dewar.
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The MAC's goal for next year is to make the theme nights even bigger to attract more students to the games.
“I mean Notre Dame wasn’t Notre Dame in a day,” Rozario said. “We’ve got a ways to go, but that’s definitely our main focus.”
- The Dance Pak led the cheerleading and kept the honky tonk vibes going all night.
- Mike Ripperger attended his first men's hockey game of the year at the MAC, showing off his country side.
- Adding to the night’s success was the Rams’ victory over the Brock Badgers 8-4. Next Thursday will be ‘90s night at the MAC as Ryerson hosts the Waterloo men’s hockey team.
Kalia was the lineup editor at the Ryersonian. She is pursuing a career in sports broadcasting.
Kalia graduated from the Ryerson School of Journalism in 2015.