While the men's basketball team plays in the Great Alaskan Shootout this weekend, some of its most enthusiastic fans will not be watching.
On Saturday night, 10 minutes before the end of the men's basketball game against South Carolina State, 12 freshman from Southgate dormitory claimed the first spot in line for the official fall semester tent registration on Sunday, Nov. 29.
"This is part of the reason I came here," said Trinity freshman and tent member Matt Burton. "We had a few people in our tent who were staying over Thanksgiving anyway."
Head Line Monitor and engineering junior Al Prescott was present in Krzyzewskiville Tuesday afternoon to officially recognize the first tent's standing.
He commended the freshmen's efforts and declared that they were not in violation of the letter of the policy: Their tent, although laid out on the ground, is not actually "set up."
Although the 10 day limit on tenting has been widely publicized, Prescott has encouraged campers to arrive as early as they wish, as long as they do not set up a tent.
Trinity freshman and tent member Mario Song confirmed that his group is "not going to put [its tent] up until after registration."
The freshmen admitted that their inexperience might have caused them to line up too early. "We had no idea what to expect from the upperclassmen," said Trinity freshman and tent member Brian Miller.
However, Prescott left for Thanksgiving break yesterday afternoon and said he will not return until Saturday night. Prescott is confident that line monitors, namely Executive Vice President of Duke Student Government Rusty Shappley, a Trinity junior, will remove any tents that are put up prior to registration.
"I don't think it's going to be a problem," to enforce the no-tent rule, Prescott said. "It's bad that these two teams we're playing suck."
Prescott stressed that the line monitors will only be enforcing the no-tent rule and that registration will not occur until an undetermined time Sunday.
Song said another line monitor checked last night to make sure their tent was not erected.
"She told us not to leave the line for any reason," Song said.
Tenters who arrive before Sunday's registration need to be of strong body and bladder. Prescott said he expected both Cameron Indoor Stadium and Card Gym to be locked through the weekend. Card Gym is closed Thursday and Friday, and will be open from noon until 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Prescott also said he created a new rule stating that line monitors in tents will be ineligible to work games for which they are also tenting. "We don't want any conflicts of interest," Prescott said.
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