Davidson College welcomes 490 students from the Class of 2015 to campus on Thursday, Aug. 18, and that means the Freshman Cake Race is just around the corner. The college tradition calls on members of the community to bake cakes for finishers of a 1.7-mile race during orientation week.

This year’s 72nd annual cake race is at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 24 in front of Baker Sports complex on the Davidson College campus. You can bake or buy a cake, and deliver it to the lobby of Baker Sports complex before 3 p.m. that day.

Students are given the chance to choose their cake in order of their finish. The cake race is as much a competition among the bakers (or cake buyers) as among the freshmen runners!

Tape your name on the bottom of your cake unless you wish to remain anonymous. Please send your cake on a disposable plate (paper plate, foil covered cardboard).

If you plan to bring a cake, please email Brenda Daugherty at brdaugherty@davidson.edu or call 704-894-2342 by Monday, Aug. 22.

Residents are invited to come cheer on the nearly 500 new students. For more about orientation, see the college website.

This article has been updated to revise the number of incoming freshmen in Davidson College’s class of 2015.