About 250 fans came out to meet the UND football team Thursday for the second annual preseason Football FanFest in ivy-walled Memorial Stadium on campus where the team once played.
"Hey, you get some pizza, some swag and get to know some of our players," said Coach Chris Mussman. It's how the players give back to the community, he said.
"It's good to see how important all the programs at UND are to the community."
For Keagan Hunsley, 2, it was a little overwhelming even when it was his own uncle he was greeting, freshman fullback Dustin Iverson from Elgin, N.D.
"Go to your uncle," said Amber Hunsley, his mother and Dustin's sister.
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Keagan was looking past his big uncle to the turf where other kids closer to Keagan's size were playing in the sun.
Only a week away from their first game, at home Aug. 29 in the Alerus Center against Valparaiso University, a Lutheran school in Indiana, UND players had lots of energy, playing keep-away across the stadium field with young fans.
Midco Sports Network sponsored the FanFest, giving away signs and team posters.
Per the controversial change ordered by the NCAA and made official a year ago by state officials, Thursday's event included no appearances of the school's former Fighting Sioux nickname and logo on clothing and other products sold.
The most common logo was "North Dakota Proud," seen on yard signs.
