Cassie Tokach/Winonan

The annual Medallion Hunt kicked off the beginning of Winona State University Homecoming festivities last Monday.

Each day a new clue was released, revealing more information on where the medallion was located.

Jake Stanz, coordinator of the hunt, said he wanted this year’s hunt to be a riveting challenge for participants.

As clues unraveled, they led students to the Integrated Wellness Complex (IWC). Stanz said he chose this location because it’s the latest addition on campus and a building that hasn’t been used before.

Stanz placed the medallion underneath the ledge in the IWC, and last year’s placement helped winner Dan Quandt found it this year.

“From the medallion hunt last year, it was placed under a bench in the Gazebo, so I figured the style of placing the medallion wasn’t going to change,” Quandt said.

It wasn’t until Thursday, day four of the hunt, that the medallion was found. Quandt searched every ledge in the IWC until he found it.

This year the competition was fierce.

Quandt said he could feel the competition.

“I knew there were individuals searching high and low all day. Once I got out of my international business class, I immediately started looking,” he said.

Stanz knew exactly what if felt like to be a participant from years of experience partaking in the Pioneer Press’s annual Treasure Hunt.

Stanz said, “My experience reading clues and hunting myself allowed me to write clues. I know how the participants are thinking and the mistakes they are making.”

Quandt also had prior hunting experience. He has participated in medallion hunts in Rochester, so the clues were familiar to him.

Part of everyone’s motivation is the money, but Quandt said it was enjoyable just to explore new parts of campus.

“I had a lot of fun during the hunt for the medallion. I was able to discover more parts of campus that I had never been to before,” Quandt said.

Students searched all over campus for the medallion and were putting Stanz’s clues to use. Stanz said he heard stories about students looking under treadmills and all over the place.

“I wish I could watch, but I don’t want to return back to the spot,” he said.

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