  {"id":219473,"date":"2022-10-31T10:38:25","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T14:38:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=219473"},"modified":"2022-10-31T14:38:35","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T18:38:35","slug":"returning-to-the-nest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2022\/10\/31\/returning-to-the-nest\/","title":{"rendered":"Returning to the Nest"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Saturday\u2019s Homecoming celebration had something for everyone \u2013 games, dancing, cooking exhibitions, barbecue, family fun, clear blue skies and a pre-game ceremony honoring Montclair football legend Sam Mills \u201981.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s events included a street fair with live music, food and carnival games, the annual student talent showcase at the historic Amphitheater and an alumni craft beer garden.<\/p>\n<p>One of the biggest events of the day occurred just prior to the Red Hawk football game against Christopher Newport University: the unveiling of a plaque to posthumously honor Mills, who was enshrined in the <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2022\/08\/08\/sam-mills-enshrined-into-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-of-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\">Pro Football Hall of Fame<\/a> in August.<\/p>\n<p>Mills\u2019 family attended the ceremony, and his wife, Melanie, said she was honored to represent Sam and his journey \u2013 at both the Hall of Fame and Homecoming ceremonies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe took our place in the Hall of Fame and they encouraged us to call Canton our home, but today coming back to Montclair on this Homecoming, this is our home, New Jersey is our home. ÌÇÐÄvlog is our home,\u201d she said. \u201cWe, the Mills family, are honored to share his biggest accolade with all of you and know that you are a part of his journey. Keep Pounding!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Video: Returning to the Nest\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ipj6EzhL42E?feature=oembed\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen style=\"width: 500px; height: 281px; border: 0px solid #000;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Photo Gallery<\/h2>\n<h3>Family Fun<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_0160_Homecoming-LAROSA.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_0160_Homecoming-LAROSA.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Family of four wearing Montclair State hoodies poses for selfie\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo by John LaRosa<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_0920_Homecoming-LAROSA.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_0920_Homecoming-LAROSA.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Homecoming attendees sitting in stands, smiling and talking\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo by John LaRosa<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/1144371.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/1144371.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Alumni carrying a toddler\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo by Shelley Kusnetz<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/P3030496.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/P3030496.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Family smiling under balloon arch\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo by Shelley Kusnetz<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Student Showcase<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_1936_Homecoming-LAROSA.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_1936_Homecoming-LAROSA.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Student group dancing on campus\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo by John LaRosa<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_1394_Homecoming-LAROSA.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_1394_Homecoming-LAROSA.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Group of students participating in dance\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo by John LaRosa<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_1443_Homecoming-LAROSA.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_1443_Homecoming-LAROSA.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Aerial view of attendees seated in the amphitheater on campus\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo by John LaRosa<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Pre-Game Ceremony<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3144_Homecoming.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3144_Homecoming.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Group of people standing on football field to honor Sam Mills\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The pre-game ceremony honoring football legend Sam Mills \u201981. <em>Photo by Mike Peters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3188_Homecoming.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3188_Homecoming.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Melanie Mills speaking into microphone at podium\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Melanie Mills uses her husband\u2019s motto to inspire the Red Hawks to \u201cKeep Pounding.\u201d <em>Photo by Mike Peters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_2731_Homecoming.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_2731_Homecoming.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"President Koppell posing with the Mills family\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">President Jonathan Koppell welcomes the Mills family to Homecoming. <em>Photo by Mike Peters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3310_Homecoming.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3310_Homecoming.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a the back of a Red Hawk&apos;s helmet with &quot;Keep Pounding&quot; printed along the bottom edge\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sam Mills\u2019 inspirational motto adorns the Red Hawks\u2019 helmets. <em>Photo by Mike Peters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>GAME TIME!<\/h3>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3610_Homecoming.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3610_Homecoming.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Football player holding ball and running\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Red Hawks play a great game but end up losing 14-13. <em>Photo by Mike Peters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_4282_Homecoming.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_4282_Homecoming.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Cheerleaders on the field, one mid-flight above team\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo by Mike Peters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_4116_Homecoming.jpeg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_4116_Homecoming.jpeg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Red Hawk football player number 11 running for a touchdown\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo by Mike Peters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3970_Homecoming.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3970_Homecoming.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Rocky poses with young child\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo by Mike Peters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3887_Homecoming.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/10\/102922_3887_Homecoming.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Game attendees clapping and smiling in the stands\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo by Mike Peters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For more photos, <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/montclairstateuniversity.smugmug.com\/2022\/102922-Homecoming\/n-g4hg3h\/\" target=\"_blank\">visit the University\u2019s photo gallery<\/a>.<\/p>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/\/ Output tags as a list for Google Analytics custom dimension\nwindow.MSU_TagList = [];\n<\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Homecoming 2022 brings Red Hawks back to campus to celebrate with students, staff and faculty<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":273,"featured_media":219475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[313,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-219473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-university"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/273"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=219473"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219473\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":219512,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219473\/revisions\/219512"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/219475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=219473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=219473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=219473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}