In the two years since its inception, “Midnight Madness” is on its way to becoming a tradition in Foggy Bottom.

The event celebrates the start of the college basketball season – at midnight Friday teams are officially allowed to begin practicing. “Midnight Madness,” the culmination of Spirit Week, highlights GW athletics and builds school spirit – a commodity of which GW could use more.

Colonial basketball deserves the support of the student body. Last season, the men’s team won the Atlantic 10 West Division regular season championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, while the women’s squad was ranked as high as 13th in the nation. But open seats remained in the student section at the Smith Center for both teams’ home games last season.

“Midnight Madness” injects excitement into GW basketball and the University community as a whole. Not only will students get their first glimpse of GW hoopsters in action, but they will be treated to an indoor-fireworks display and a laser-light show, as well as lots of free stuff, before the players even hit the court.

Other Spirit Week events include men’s soccer and women’s volleyball home contests Friday. Buses will run to the men’s soccer match against St. Bonaventure in South Riding, Va., while the women’s volleyball team takes on Massachusetts at 7 p.m. in the Smith Center.

Fan support is crucial to any sports team. And sports have a way of invigorating and bringing communities together. Likewise, at GW, the rise of the Colonial basketball teams has coincided with the University’s rise to academic prominence. Either way, “Midnight Madness” is a positive event that increases school spirit.

Whether you are a Smith Center Psycho, or a casual Colonial basketball fan, Friday’s “Midnight Madness” promises to be an evening to remember for the entire GW community.