Each year, Homecoming serves as an opportunity for alumni to return to their roots at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
This year, Homecoming 2012, themed Titan Throwback, is bound to spark even more alumni attention as the 1972 championship football team is being honored at the start of the Homecoming football game Sat. Oct. 13.
Sponsored by the UW Oshkosh Alumni Association and the Titan Touchdown Club—an alumni organization that provides services and supports needs throughout the football season—the event’s focus is to bring alumni, students, faculty, staff and community members together to celebrate UWO’s past athletic triumph and cheer on today’s Titans to bring home a Homecoming win.
The Homecoming game will take place at Titan Stadium where UW Oshkosh will play against UW-Platteville, starting at 1:30 p.m. The team will be presented with plaques by the Titan Touchdown Club.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Wisconsin State University Conference championship season, but Jim Miazga, UW Oshkosh alumnus ‘74, and member of the 1972 team, remembers it like it was yesterday.
“We beat UW-Whitewater at Titan Stadium for our 1972 championship on a November day, in a mist, with a full house at Titan Stadium,” Miazga said.
Miazga is coordinating the Homecoming celebration alongside the UW Oshkosh Alumni Association and the booster club by bringing his fellow former Titans back to campus.
“The event is taking place as an opportunity for former teammates, coaches to get together [and] make bonds again,” Miazga said. “[It] also gives former teammates, coaches a chance to see how our University has grown.”
“Miazga played tight end for UW Oshkosh from 1970-73. He was most proud of his contributions to the 1972 team,” said UW Oshkosh’s Sports Information Director Kennan Timm.
According to a History of Oshkosh Sports archive, the 1972 season was one of three conference wins for the Titans but the team’s only solo win. The championship was shared with UW-Whitewater in 1968 and 1976. Titan Stadium was built one year prior of the Titan’s solo victory, so the 1972 team was the first to consider the field home.
Miazga said he views the 1972 season as a very special memory full of great pride and happiness.
“I have been very blessed in my life,” Miazga said. “Winning this championship for me was so much fun. We finished with a conference record of 8-0. No team went unbeaten through the conference in football for 23 years.”
This year’s Homecoming celebration will mark the second time the 1972 championship team is honored for their accomplishment. The team was first honored at the 25 year anniversary.
Miazga recently met with the Titan’s head football coach Patrick Cerroni to observe today’s growing football program at UWO.
“They are working so hard to put a winning program together for our University,” Miazga said. “I am proud to know them and be a Titan alumnus.”
All UW Oshkosh students are admitted free to regular season home games with a Titan ID card. Admission ticket prices for non-UW Oshkosh students are the following: Adults $7, Senior Citizens (55 or older) $5, Students (K-12, College) $3.
A free shuttle service to Titan Stadium is also provided before the Homecoming game, starting at 10:30 a.m. The shuttle will pick up students and community members from Reeve Memorial Union and take them to J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium. The shuttles will continuously run until kickoff at 1:30 p.m. and will operate for one hour after the game.
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