The Southern Conference is not the only exciting thing that is happening on Mercer’s campus this season. The Mercer Maniacs are also beginning a new division by allowing girls to “paint up” during sporting events.
A new Mercer Maniac, Victoria Rexhausen, said, “I think it adds to the atmosphere, and I feel like now that some girls have gone ahead and done it, then they’re going to have more and more girls asking to paint up in the future.”
Blaze Jeffery, the president of Mercer Maniacs, spoke on behalf of the Maniacs about this issue. In the past, girls were not allowed to paint up during the games because the Maniacs could not find a way to do it with elegance, but Jeffery says they have created a solution. The girls are now allowed to paint up as long as they wear black shorts and a black sports bra.
Alexandra Milam, one of the first girls to paint up with the Maniacs, stated, “You see less than if you went to like the beach or the pool.”
Rexhausen displayed her shock on the matter saying, “I was actually really surprised when I found out that we were some of the first girls to do it because…at my high school everyone painted up.”
Along with this being the first year for girls to paint up, the Maniacs have had a successful season so far with around 300 people attending the first events and about 300 students sign up for the Maniacs in general.
“It’s a good mixture of different kinds of people with all different ages,” Rexhausen explained.
Milam, Rexhausen, and Liz Dreggors, another new addition to the Maniacs, all expressed their delight in attending the games and events and becoming more involved in Mercer’s athletics.
Dreggors conveyed her pleasure by saying, “I’ve really enjoyed tailgating with the Maniacs, and I love their enthusiasm at the football games, and it’s just been a lot of fun.”
The Maniacs hope to give the athletic teams the support they deserve from their fellow classmates by encouraging them through chants and being at every game.
“It’s so much fun to cheer on your football team, and it means so much to them that I think it’s really important that we do so,” Rexhausen said.
President Blaze Jefferey of the Mercer Maniacs said he wants to include everyone who desires to participate.
“We’ve always had girls in the Mercer Maniacs for sure. We definitely want to have more…
Basically, everybody’s a Mercer Maniac already, but we’d like to see more people involved with us on a regular basis.”
New Chapter for Mercer Maniacs
