An unexpected guest made its debut at this fall’s APU Midnight Madness event. While many students at the Felix Event Center that night were initially unaware of its significance, the moment a photo of “the Rock” was shared to social media, alumni took notice—and they responded in a big way.
Alumni from the 1980s through the early 2000s flooded the comment sections with hundreds of stories. These tall tales from the past, woven with mystery and intrigue, all centered on one question: Was this the Rock?
Most believe that the tradition of the Rock began in 1967 when the school was gifted a 500-pound granite stone with the words “Azusa Pacific College” chiseled on it. Reportedly, a student figured out that the Rock wasn’t cemented down, which resulted in its disappearance.
So began the most epic game of collegiate hide and seek. For decades, sports teams, choirs, clubs, and individuals stole and hid the Rock. Once the Rock was stolen, it had to be shown at least once a year. Additionally, a portion of the stone’s inscription had to be visible at all times.
The lore sparked the imagination of Charlie Max Reynolds ’25, Connor Chick ’23, and Nathanael Forrey ’25 while they were students and they began a quest to bring the Rock back for a new generation. The hope had been to unveil it for the university’s 125th anniversary in 2023.
To my knowledge, there’s no tradition as enshrined in glory as the Rock at APU.Charlie Max Reynolds '25
A football reunion that year proved that the legend of the Rock left an indelible mark on players even decades later. Among their memories, one story stood out: Football alumni gathered to recount the evening of a football game when, all of a sudden, the student body looked up from the stands and saw a helicopter descending with the Rock dangling by a cable.
“All these people—well, mostly guys—ran to their cars and were trying to follow where the helicopter was going,” football alumnus Greg Grandall ’82 recounted.
Amid the plot twists over the years, somehow the Rock went missing and speculation swirled. Was it hidden on campus in a vault? In the ocean, after being tossed off the Huntington Beach pier? No one could be certain. Last year’s Student Government Association president, Travis Gray ’25, along with a group of current students, inspired by the stories and the past efforts of former classmates Reynolds, Chick, and Forrey, decided that the time for finding it was now. With some details of how they “found” it still undisclosed, Gray and his friend Brandon Cooper ’25 pulled off the big reveal at Midnight Madness. Though Gray confirmed that it is indeed a replica of the original, he hopes it will begin a new tradition with APU students.
“Traditions connect and unite us across generations,” said Gray. “If the real Rock ever appears, we will receive it with open arms.” He underscored a new rule: The Rock must stay on campus at all times. “I believe this generation will handle the Rock, whether it be new or original, responsibly. We love APU and plan to have some fun.”
Parts of this article were adapted from Morgan Faranov’s article “Call to Action: APU Must Come Together to Find Its Rock,” ZU Magazine, November 6, 2023.