Western Colorado University Prepares to Welcome Alumni and Fans for Homecoming Weekend 2025

Once again, Mountaineers from across time and space will rendezvous for Homecoming Weekend, October 10–12, for a full slate of events to celebrate the past and welcome in the future.  

The festivities start on Friday, Oct. 10, when alumni are invited back into the classroom for a return to academic life during Back to Class Day. Then, at 10 a.m., the Alumni Ascent Bike Ride takes off from the library parking lot for a beginner or advanced ride with Western’s Mountain Sports team on the Signal Peak trail system. 

That afternoon, the Alumni Club Volleyball Game gets underway at 2 p.m. in Paul Wright Gymnasium, followed by the Homecoming Parade through the streets of downtown Gunnison at 5 p.m. The day’s celebrations will reach their peak with the Lighting of the W Party at 7 p.m. on the lawn of the Paul M. Rady School of Computer Science and Engineering. 

On Saturday at 9 a.m., Homecoming continues with the Memory Lane Reunion Breakfast in the University Center Ballroom, honoring class years ending in 0 and 5 and recognizing the contributions and legacy of the Western Mountain Rescue Team, the nation’s first collegiate search and rescue program.  

Tailgate festivities begin at 11 a.m. in the Paul Wright Gym parking lot, leading up to the Homecoming football game against Black Hills State University at 1 p.m. in Mountaineer Bowl at the Rady Family Sports Complex. 

The weekend wraps up on Sunday, Oct. 12, with a guided tour of the Tenderfoot (“W”) Mountain archaeological site from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Led by anthropologist Landan Schaller, the tour includes a short hike and close-up look at Folsom culture excavations that date back more than 11,000 years. 

Whether you’re a proud alum, a current student, or a Mountaineer at heart, Western’s Homecoming Weekend is your chance to experience what it means to be a Mountaineer.