Quad Day means more than free pens, stickers and other cool giveaways.

For different club sports on campus, the 5-hour-long event serves as an informational time, or can be the primary means of recruitment and raising campus-wide awareness of their team.

“Quad Day definitely helps get our name out there,” said Ricky Gomez, junior in Business, on the Illini Men’s Hockey Team.

“It’s also important because it informs people about try-outs,” Gomez said.

Head Coach Chad Cassel of Illini Hockey said Quad Day is helpful for the about 10 percent of recruits who weren’t aware of the club before, as the majority of his players are familiar with the team beforehand.

Cassel said he already knows many of the players who are incoming freshmen through summer camps or current players.

Paul Arendt, a grad student in engineering and lacrosse player, said Quad Day helps in addition to a new and improved Web site that helps get the word out about Men’s Lacrosse Club.

“Quad day helps – I know because I joined the lacrosse team at Quad Day my freshman year,” Arendt said. “It can be an opportunity for people to come by and meet the team for the first time.”

Other club sports such as the Illini Women’s Water Polo and Women’s Ultimate Frisbee depend heavily on Quad Day.

“Quad Day is the most important day to recruit players,” said Molly Sweeney, president of the water polo team. “It’s how most of our players find out – a lot of kids don’t even know about it.”

Sweeney added another benefit of Quad Day is campus recognition of water polo as a club.

“Quad Day is extremely important – it’s our primary source of recruitment,” said Lauren Dallas, a junior in LAS who has been on the club team since her freshman year.

“Even if you get one person to join, they might bring a friend. It’d be that much enjoyable – it’s much more fun to play together,” Dallas said.