Students try some good, clean, dirty fun at Mud Bowl

There was volleyball, rugby, ultimate mud Frisbee and more. Photos: Al DiFranco/UIC Photo Services

The field complex will be replaced with artificial turf, so a UIC tradition was revived.

About 200 people signed up for good clean dirty fun Sunday afternoon at the Mud Bowl on, and in, the Outdoor Field Complex at South Campus.

The fields, used for intramural sports like rugby, flag football and soccer, will be renovated with artificial turf beginning this fall, so Campus Recreation decided to dig up a UIC tradition.

“College is a high-stress time, and sometimes it’s really important to just have fun,” said Lynne Thompson, associate director of programs in Campus Recreation.

A grounds crew with water truck stood by.

UIC grounds workers started preparing the fields Thursday. A crew with water truck was stationed at the games Sunday to keep the mud going and rinse off the players.

There were planned activities — a volleyball tournament, ultimate mud Frisbee, a ground slide and rugby — plus spontaneous fun like mud wrestling and Duck, Duck, Goose.

The new outdoor fields should be ready next summer. In the meantime, adapted versions of the intramural sports will move indoors to Student Recreation Facility gyms.