CWU Night at the Mariners set for record-breaking celebration April 11

There are few better ways to spend a spring evening than at the ballpark — especially when it’s filled with the Wildcat nation cheering on the Mariners.

CWU Night at the Mariners returns on April 11 as Seattle takes on the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park. With more than 3,000 tickets expected to sell, the gathering is shaping up to be the biggest yet.

This year, Central Washington University pride will take center field for what promises to be an action-packed evening. Student vocalists from CWU’s Take Note A Cappella Club, accompanied by Grammy-winning alumnus Michael “Wanz” Wansley (’18), will perform the national anthem.

Take Note is a newly formed ensemble group of students from a variety of majors who share a passion for pop music. Singing in front of thousands of sports fans will be a first for a quartet of Take Note singers: Madeleine Cannon, David Chang, Meg Garmey, and Nina Soetamin. 

“It's unusual to have a debut performance that is so high-profile, but the students jumped at the opportunity,” said Jan Nelson (’07), Central alumna and music department lecturer. “It makes a huge difference that they are in such good hands with Wanz. He has performed the national anthem at the CWU Mariners event for the last couple of years, so he knows the whole process.”

Wanz, a CWU music department graduate, is no stranger to a packed stadium, having toured the world with rap artist Macklemore. Wanz’s rich baritone is front and center in everyone’s favorite hook from the chart-topping song, “Thrift Shop.”

From rock to R&B and jazz, Wanz has written and performed music for over 50 years. He credits his CWU experience to his success: “I wouldn’t be the performer, the musician, the person I am if I had gone anywhere else.”

Nelson notes that connecting with Central music students and writing the arrangement for the national anthem was originally Wanz’s idea.

“It's a gift for these students to get to perform with and learn from an artist of his caliber,” she said. “The majority of university music programs in the United States don't have formal instruction in pop music. Performing with a professional is an entirely different way of learning, and the students will take those lessons back into their music-making with the full Take Note ensemble.” 

Working with Central students feels natural to Wanz, who believes that when alumni share their unique stories, they play a role in preserving the Wildcat legacy. He likes to remind young people to recognize their talents early on.

“The thing about creatives in general,” he said, “is that they can create something out of nothing. It is a gift in and of itself.”

The main event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with Wildcat alumna and CWU Foundation Board Chair Janet Backus (’72) taking the mound to throw the ceremonial first pitch. While there’s no special training for this honor, she admits her husband and son — a CWU computer science graduate — have been great coaches. Backus shares that this event is a favorite, filled with a strong sense of unity and joy for the Wildcat family.

“It’s a wonderful thing when we all come together,” Backus said. “It is community building, team building, and shows our school spirit. And if any school has a spirit, it's CWU. It always has — since I was first there when I was 18 years old — and it always will.”

Attendees can show off their crimson and black pride with a limited edition co-branded Mariners-CWU jersey, created exclusively for this event, and free with each ticket purchased through the special CWU ticket link. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to the CWU Northwest Center for Sport and the CWU Alumni Association, helping create more access and opportunities for the next generation of Wildcats.

The April 11 festivities commence with a pre-game meetup at Victory Hall, directly across the street from T-Mobile Park, where ticketholders can pick up their jerseys early and mingle with other Wildcats as well as the CWU Alumni Association board. The party continues at the park’s Rooftop Boardwalk for final jersey pick up, photo ops with Wellington, and game-time vibes with CWU Cheer and 88.1 The ‘Burg.

Tickets are available at mariners.com/cwu, but supplies are limited.