Homecoming 2016 had all the thrills

From the Mayor of Huntington Avenue election to a celebrated appearance by Amy Poehler to the sweet joys of victory for the basketball programs, Northeastern’s Homecoming 2016 was one not to be forgotten.

Here are some highlights from the weekend.

Comedy central

Thousands gathered at Matthews Arena Thursday evening for the Homecoming headliner show, the honor of which went to actress, writer, and producer Amy Poehler.

Poehler, best known for her roles on Saturday Night Live and Parks and Recreation, was interviewed on stage by Meghna Chakrabarti, of WBUR’s “Radio Boston.” Poehler, who grew up in Burlington, Massachusetts, said she was happy to be home and offered a fun fact about Matthews Arena, the event’s venue: her parents had their second date there.

Poehler brought the funny throughout the night, sharing fun and lively stories from her childhood and career in entertainment. Reflecting on her college days and what led her to become an actress, Poehler offered some advice for students in attendance. “You’re at the beginning of something,” she said. “If you could time travel to 10 years from now, you’re going to look back on this time and one of the things I think you’ll wish you could say to yourself is, ‘I should’ve been easier on myself, I should’ve enjoyed what I was doing more, and I should’ve stuck, continued, and been around the people and the things that make me feel good.’”

Meet the mayor

Northeastern held its own election during Homecoming Week and elected Emily Blackwell, SSH’17, as Mayor of Huntington Avenue. The results of the election were announced at halftime of the men’s basketball game Friday night.

In her first act as mayor, Blackwell took over Northeastern’s Snapchat account during Homecoming FanFest on Saturday.

How ‘sweep’ it is

Speaking of basketball, both the men’s and women’s teams opened the 2016-17 season with wins against crosstown rival Boston University. The women’s team won 78-59 at Cabot Center, led by Jess Genco’s 27-point performance.

The men’s team completed the sweep with an 87-77 victory against the Terriers at Matthews, as T.J. Williams and Alex Murphy combined for 50 points.

Giving back

Earlier Friday, more than 180 student volunteers participated in the Homecoming 2016 Day of Service. The volunteers helped to clean up parts of Columbus Avenue and the Fenway and packaged meals for children in Boston Public Schools.

We’ve got spirit

The Northeastern Student Alumni Association took home the Homecoming spirit points competition. Points were awarded throughout to the week based on the enthusiasm, support, and attendance displayed by organizations participating in official Homecoming events.