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Come Fan with UsThursday, August 6, 2026

Duke students celebrate national championship by BURNING A GIANT BENCH

Duke won the NCAA men’s basketball national championship on Monday night and students marked the occasion with a bonfire on campus.

A video posted by Fiona Xin (@fonapona1117) on

It’s a bench-burning tradition! From the Duke University library blog:
According to the records, Duke’s bonfire and bench-burning tradition began in 1986, when there was a large screen set up on the quad for students to watch the NCAA final game between Duke and Louisville. Duke lost, and a few angry spectators reacted with assaults and vandalism. The Police Department was unprepared for such a result, but learned from the experience. During the 1990 tournament, the Police Department opted for a more controlled option of a large screen in Cameron for the Duke vs. UNLV game, with a Duke ID card required to enter. They also sponsored a bonfire in the Card Gym parking lot—with no idea this would set the precedent for a beloved tradition—but few students braved the bad weather.Yup, definitely a bench!

A photo posted by Danli Liu (@danli_liu) on

Stay safe, everyone!

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