The faculty men’s a cappella group’s performance of The Twelve Days of Christmas during Chapel on Wednesday sets the stage for its a cappella season. 

One of the group’s co-founders, Dr. Vic McCracken, associate professor of ethics and theology, said the group was formed several years ago by members of the faculty-staff dodgeball team, Release the McCracken.

“After taking out our fury on our students by pelting them with under-inflated red balls,” McCracken said, “we felt like Christmas was the season for giving and decided to form our own a cappella act.” 

The group performed a rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” during Chapel in Cullen Wednesday and also will perform Thursday evening at halftime during the men’s basketball game. 

Dr. Joe Stephenson, associate professor of English and a member of the club, said the club helps show students that their professors are more than just academics. 

“We also have hobbies, and we also like to have fun,” Stephenson said. “It’s a nice way to send the students off with a bit of Christmas cheer before the break. For me, I’m glad to have a way to keep up with my music a little bit.”

McCracken said the group’s long-term goals include going viral on Youtube and winning Sing Song. 

“While our faculty-staff dodgeball team, Release the McCracken, lies dormant in the murky depths of Lake Abilene,” McCracken says,”our plan with our a cappella group is to lull our students into a sense of gentle relaxation with our smooth crooning harmonies. That way, they’ll be caught off guard when we dominate them in intramurals. Finally, one of my colleagues in the group clarifies our common desire for our Wednesday act. For our students, we want to soothe your souls before we hammer your GPAs.”

The unity and tradition of this group is no comparison for their humor and care for their students. To see them perform go to Thursday’s basketball game halftime.