As many as 60 naked Penn State students dashed, skipped and even back-flipped their way down Mifflin Road Sunday night as several hundreds of their peers cheered them on during the annual Mifflin Streak.
Andy Steinmetz was the first streaker to dart down Mifflin Road at about 10:45 p.m. as the crowd erupted in laughter and applause.
"All the people wanted to see somebody naked," Steinmetz (senior-journalism) said. "So I figured somebody has to start this thing."
The Mifflin Streak began in 1977 and has been filled with controversy ever since. Last year, seven students were arrested during the event, but this year there were no arrests, Penn State Police said.
Even Penn State Vice President of Student Affairs Damon Sims attended, watching the scene from his car while text messaging on his phone.
"I'm not streaking," Sims said with a laugh. "It's a nice way for students to blow off steam before finals."
Maria Malizia said she felt "so much adrenaline" when she streaked down the road twice and said she felt obligated to participate because she lives in Mifflin Hall.
"I led the group of boys. It was really liberating," Malazia (freshman-Italian) shouted to her friends, jumping up and down. "All I was thinking was, 'Why is everybody taking pictures of me?' I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I have to run through before the po-po see me."
About 10 police officers patrolled the area as students stood on top of cars, outside of dorm buildings and even in trees to catch a glimpse of the annual Penn State student tradition.
"It's weird skipping down a street and people looking at your junk," said Logan McGrane, who streaked during the event.
Officers shined flashlights on McGrane (freshman-computer science) when he arrived at the end of the road, causing him to immediately put back on his clothes.
"That was scary," McGrein said. "I was worried that I was going to get arrested."
Though the crowd was under control, police said they still are not advocates of the event.
"We don't believe individuals should be removing their clothes in public like that," Penn State Police Sgt. Don Hazel said.
Sims called the tradition "harmless" and said he wanted to see "firsthand what all the fuss is about."
"There are more troublesome events than this," Sims said. "I've been a college student before, so this isn't necessarily weird. This is the way college students act sometimes."
At one point in the evening, students chanted "do it -- do it -- do it" to a female who was preparing to streak. She then undressed and sprinted down the road as students cheered and cameras flashed.
Lauren Hemrick placed her hands over her mouth in shock as she stood just inches away from a naked female streaker.
"I find it OK for guys to do it," Hemrick (freshman-veterinarian medicine) said. "But girls are more shocking."
Kristen Withers tried to drop-off a pizza to students in Hartranft Hall, who were watching the streakers outside of their building.
Withers' attempted delivery was brought to a screeching halt by a group of naked men who crossed her path as they were about to take off for the streak.
"There are a bunch of crazy naked people, but I have no problem with it," Withers said.
With finals week beginning today, some students said the streak was a good excuse to get away from studying.
Brendan Ryan said he had already begun studying for finals and was glad he didn't have any scheduled for today.
"It's completely random -- it's a little different," Ryan (freshman-business) said of the event. "But I guess with 40,000 students there are going to be people that want to run naked."
--Collegian Staff Writer Peter Panepinto contributed to this story.
