Let the madness begin.

Tonight, the University of Northern Iowa athletic department is inviting the public into the McLeod Center for a series of events, including a coed 3-point contest, a dunk contest and a skills competition.

A men’s basketball scrimmage will cap off the McLeod Madness festivities.

The UNI volleyball team’s match against Illinois State University, at 7 p.m., precedes the events. McLeod Madness begins at 9:30 p.m. or 45 minutes after the volleyball game.

The first of 10 chosen students participating in a half-court shootout will win one semester of in-state tuition.

The first 2,000 students who enter the McLeod Center will receive a free T-shirt, and Papa John’s will supply free pizza.

The event offers a preseason glance at the UNI wrestling team, women’s basketball team and men’s basketball team.

Women’s basketball sharpshooters Brooke Brown and Brittni Donaldson will showcase their abilities during the 3-point contest against the likes of Matt Bohannon and others.

Men’s basketball head coach Ben Jacobson said Bohannon can be in the gym practicing as early as 6 a.m.

“He would have our shooting machine out, and he would shoot 500 shots. He knows his job is to make 3’s,” Jacobson said at a basketball breakfast earlier this month.

Sharnae Lamar, Hannah Schonhardt, Deon Mitchell, Matt Morrison and other athletes will participate in the skills challenge that features an array of passing, dribbling and shooting stations.

The concluding men’s basketball scrimmage will give Panther fans a first glimpse at freshmen Ted Friedman, Jeremy Morgan, Bennett Koch and Klint Carlson and transfers Wes Washpun and Paul Jesperson.

Washpun, a Cedar Rapids native, is eligible to play this season after sitting out all of last year due to his transfer from the University of Tennessee. Jesperson transferred from the University of Virginia this offseason and will sit out this season.