Only the whites of the students' eyes could be seen as their mud-encrusted bodies hit the ground after diving for a mucky Frisbee.
The Frisbee players were among about 900 UF students who left their inhibitions and cleanliness at the dorm for Mudfest, an annual 10-day event that ended Thursday.
Students in Tolbert, Weaver, East, North and Riker halls played games of ultimate Frisbee, polo, tug of war and volleyball during the festivities, which were played in an ankle-deep pit of mud.
Not even bystanders were safe from the occasional spritz.
"Mud flies at least three feet from the pit, especially during ultimate Frisbee," said Nick Parr, a UF zoology senior, as mud splattered his face mid-sentence.
Scott Mangino, graduate hall director, said every year, a construction company is hired to come in and create the pit.
The mud is brought in from Georgia.
After the fest, it takes about two weeks to drain and re-sod the lawn.
"You can always see where the pit was last year," Mangino said. "It will probably never go away."
UF freshman Angie Griffin said Mudfest is the reason she chose to live at Tolbert Hall.
"Mudfest has been a great bonding experience and a lot of fun," Griffin said. "Although it took me three shampoos to get the mud out of my hair."
