Sigma Pi and Phi Mu, Greek Week champs

Fraternities, sororities face-off in Olympic games, compete for bragging rights

Ashley Rabe

News | 4/28/08

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Grass stains and pizza sauce accompanied Greek letters Friday afternoon behind the soccer field off Auburn Drive. The Greek Olympics marked the final competition for the annual Greek Week festivities as fraternities and sororities battled for campus supremacy.

The Towson Center was the home of the Greek Sing competition Monday and the ThinkFast quiz game Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday, Burdick Gym was filled with Greeks for dodgeball and volleyball competitions. The week came to a close on Friday afternoon in the Glen Woods when the Greek organizations joined for a barbecue.

"It's a really fun week were everyone gets together and competes in a friendly way and gets really close," Lauren Farrell, a senior mass communication major and Phi Mu member, said.

Sigma Pi narrowly edged past Phi Sigma Kappa and Zeta Beta Tau to win their third consecutive Greek Week crown. With a score of 192 for the week, they topped the two second-place organizations by just two points. It's the ninth time in 10 years that Sigma Pi has finished in first at the end of Greek Week.

Phi Mu used their first-place finish in Greek Sing and a 50-point maximum score from the April 19 Town and Gown Clean-up to win their first Panhellenic Association competition since 2000, snapping a two-year streak by Zeta Tau Alpha. ZTA had the highest score of all sororities at the Greek Olympics, but finished in third place behind Phi Mu and Alpha Xi Delta.

Four organizations were not allowed to participate in the week's events. Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Lambda Phi and Lambda Chi Alpha did not pay their dues for Greek Week and Sigma Chi is currently dealing with judicial affairs and was not allowed to compete according to Christian Miele, Greek Life coordinator in the office of student activities.

The participating chapters seemed to enjoy the week.

"There was great participation and I think it went well. There were a lot of fun events," Marilyn Berchie, a junior nursing major and member of Zeta Sigma Chi, said.

Miele said the week's events, which have taken place since the mid-1980s, have created a strong tradition within the organizations. At the end of the week, Phi Mu and Sigma Pi finished with bragging rights, but Miele said the friendly competition brings the organizations together.

"We had a great turnout. We had great weather and I think above all the students had a lot of fun," he said. "It's good for Greek unity. It brings everybody together and gives good visibility. The principles and core ideals are realized through service, education and philanthropy."

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