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So, if you haven’t heard, Northwestern (for the first time ever) is going to the NCAA freaking tournament.
This was the scene at Welsh-Ryan as Wildcat players and fans awaited the announcement:
A historic day at Northwestern. pic.twitter.com/TY0IwXZFaA
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) March 12, 2017
Then finally, after over a half hour of anxious waiting, the moment that will live on in Northwestern lore forever:
Finally, Northwestern has its name called. The Wildcats will dance. pic.twitter.com/y0PMTlAvdw
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) March 12, 2017
Absolute pandemonium. What followed was something that tends to happen when monumental things occur in this day in age: Twitter exploded.
Northwestern alumni were the first to chime in with their jubilation:
The words on this shirt speak for a lot of us...congrats to @coach_collins & the Northwestern Wildcats...our heroes! @NUMensBball @Fanatics pic.twitter.com/SbjxZbxTsU
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) March 13, 2017
Love. This.
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) March 12, 2017
Took nearly 80 years, but finally #Northwestern is...IN https://t.co/PfxBeBr8pf
#ChicagoIsDancing @NUMensBball pic.twitter.com/Orme4IF9OY
— StacyGSGreenberg (@StacyGSG) March 12, 2017
Finally! Congrats to @NUMensBball!!!
— Seth Meyers (@sethmeyers) March 12, 2017
I've waited for this for 21 years. Salt Lake City is like Paris to me right now. pic.twitter.com/sG8PEk7Jn2
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) March 12, 2017
I guess I just wanted to let you guys know how genuinely happy I am right now. Be happy about sports sometimes, if you can.
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) March 12, 2017
*screams*
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) March 12, 2017
*cries*
*dies happy* pic.twitter.com/6FabRF5TKs
And this is just awesome:
We're going to the dance, boys! @NUMensBball making history! #proud #B1GCats #poundtherock #NCAA @marchmadness pic.twitter.com/TpuoqtvxRV
— Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) March 12, 2017
Former and current athletes were quick to spring up, as well:
Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr.:
I've Been A Part of Some Great Moments In My Time At Northwestern. I Think It's Safe to Say It's A #NUEra ✊
— Anthony Walker Jr. (@__AWalkJr) March 12, 2017
Forward Gavin Skelly:
I believe
— Gavin Skelly (@gavin_skelly) March 12, 2017
Center Dererk Pardon:
Forward Nathan Taphorn:
Mood pic.twitter.com/cmHIkv5pkL
— Nathan Taphorn (@NU_nate32) March 12, 2017
Center Barret Benson:
#TicketPunched pic.twitter.com/5A0YJzUHJD
— Barret Benson (@bigbenson40) March 12, 2017
Of course, with Northwestern’s first round opponent being Vanderbilt, the nerd jokes were bound to pour in:
Northwestern-Vanderbilt: The battle for the SAT scores
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) March 12, 2017
Northwestern AD Jim Phillips on facing Vanderbilt in the first round: "Maybe at halftime we’ll compare SAT and ACT scores."
— Brian Hamilton (@BrianHamiltonSI) March 12, 2017
Northwestern, Vanderbilt and Princeton in the same bracket. The GMATs will be administered at half.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) March 12, 2017
If you were looking for any more reason to write Northwestern into the second round of your brackets:
Vanderbilt drops anchor on Northwestern's fairy tale. Better school, better alumni, better ex-player coach, far better basketball tradition.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) March 12, 2017
We’ll keep that in mind, Skip.
And to anyone telling the Wildcat faithful to “act like they’ve been there before”:
Northwestern to the haters. @OfficialJLD pic.twitter.com/bfCIXsNn9X
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) March 12, 2017
Pretty much.