By MAC SMITH

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The 30th Annual Gull Games took place from Thursday, May 1 to Saturday, May 3, 2025, bringing a weekend full of excitement and spirited competition to Salisbury University. Students from each residence hall competed in a variety of games, all aiming to claim the first-place trophy and earn bragging rights for the rest of the year. 

The opening event, held on Thursday, was the Inner Tube Relay Race—an action-packed kickoff that set the tone for the weekend. Severn Hall dominated early, securing the win in the first event and continuing their strong performance throughout the Games. 

Zion Hall, a Severn Hall Resident Assistant (RA), had a great time participating in the games as a player. 

“I had a great time.I joined a lot more events than I anticipated, but I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to connect with residents from all different buildings,” he said. “As a judge, I’m proud to see how many people participated this year– it was great to see everyone with their game faces on but also cheering for the people they are competing against.

 “Overall Gull Games was a great success and I’m excited for the next one.”

Residents from every hall showed up ready to compete, with victories and defeats going back and forth between teams throughout the weekend. As the three-day event neared its end, everyone was eager to find out which team would come out on top. 

The final showdown came down to a game of Tug-of-War, with all eyes on the last few pulls of the rope. When the dust settled, Diana Cropper, Assistant Housing Director, stepped forward to announce the overall winner: Severn Hall had officially claimed the title in the 30th Annual Gull Games.

Several Resident Assistants (RAs) from each building stepped up to support the event, serving either as judges or as participants to fill in for residents when needed. 

“It was fun, I really wasn’t here for gull games as a freshman last year so I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Aszlyn Asaf, a Chester Hall RA. “Being a judge was fun; you can’t support your team though because you have to support other teams [as well], but it was still fun to participate in.”

Matthew Trickle, a Dogwood RA, detailed the fun time he had partaking in games with friends from other residence halls. 

“I loved seeing the friendly competition between the different residents,” he said. “Gull Games are about fine sportsmanship, no matter whether you win or lose.

“It was awesome [to] judge fun activities and see everyone have a great time.”

At the end of the event, all participants gathered for a group photo behind the Nanticoke Volleyball Court, capturing the spirit and unity of the weekend. 

Overall, the 30th Annual Gull Games was a huge success and a memorable highlight of the semester.

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