Over the years, many different committees, groups, and offices in campus have organized the homecoming event. Homecoming began at Mankato State Teachers College in 1928. At this event, the school had a pep rally the night before with a bonfire, a parade with thirty floats and the football game against Rochester, in which Mankato won. There was a dance held after the game in the library. In 1935, the mascot of the Indian was used to promote the school, and in 1938, the first Indian Princess was crowned. This was also the year the school decided the event should be an annual event, since a few of the years prior had been skipped. There was no homecoming in the fall of 1943 because of World War II, but it was held in February 1944 instead, but with a basketball game. 1944 was the only year that there were two Homecoming games held at the college. The tradition of the crowning the Indian Princess ended in 1971, when the Indian Mascot was dropped from the college. In 1977, Mankato State University became the Mavericks. Homecoming today consists of a week of events, a parade before the game, and is often a time for alumni to reunite for different anniversaries.

This information was taken from Homecoming Papers. Collection, 1928-Ongoing. MSU Archives Collection 19, University Archives, Memorial Library, Minnesota State University, Mankato.