Nov. 15, 2005

One of the best prizes to come along with the frequent wins that the No. 11 Missouri women's volleyball team (19-4, 12-4 Big 12) has been getting lately, is being able to see the Mizzou crowds consistently getting larger, as they have seen for this 2005 season.

"I like coming to the matches because they're so good," Austin Collins, Missouri freshman, said. "They win, and that is fun to watch."

Apparently, about 2,000 other people share Collins' sentiment. In 2005, the Tigers are drawing an average of 2,226 fans per game at the Hearnes Center. That mark ranks MU eighth in the country in attendance and is a significant increase from their average attendance of 1,460 in 2004.

"They've consistently gotten better since I've been coming, and the crowds have continued to grow as well," David Pierson, a Columbia resident and frequent spectator, said. "I really enjoy coming to volleyball games here and I think the sport is definitely becoming more popular."

Win or lose, Mizzou's style of play and attitude attracts fans like a piece of cheese attracts mice. After falling to No. 1 Nebraska on Oct. 5, the record crowd of 7,298 left the Hearnes feeling about as good as they could after being witness to a defeat.

"These girls get after it," J.T. Levin, Missouri junior, said. "There is a serious intensity out there which I feel is lacking with other sports. These girls are always so fired up, which gets you fired up. And they win, that's the most important part---they win."

Mussa Omar, a big fan of every Mizzou athletic team, added: "This team is different; they're always playing hard and putting their heart into it."

For their outstanding teamwork and effort, the Tigers get outstanding fan participation from members of "VolleyZou" and the "Kreklow's Krazies," a cheering section for coaches Wayne and Susan Kreklow. The "Krazies" dawn a T-shirt that has a mock-up Mizzou Tigers logo that resembles the Boston Celtics logo. Wayne won an NBA Championship with the Celtics in 1980-81, and face of the leprechaun is replaced with the coach's mug. In addition, the leprechaun spins a volleyball, not a basketball.

"It's great to be able to sit as close as we want and get involved with the game," David Schoen, a Missouri freshman, said. "I think the students to a good job of getting really involved and we know the players can hear us so we love to do cheers for them and also try to distract the other team."

The fun and exciting atmosphere of home volleyball games isn't strictly limited to college students, either. Since moving to mid-Missouri in 2001 from California, Deanna Biddle has found volleyball games to be a routine activity for her and her daughter Danielle, 11.

"I think home matches are really spectator friendly and the appreciation of the fans is great," Deanna Biddle said. "They throw T-shirts, they're partners with a lot of the education in mid-Missouri and the girls sit and sign autographs after games. What other teams do that? The atmosphere as well as the affordability is great. It makes for a fun night."

So fun, in fact, that 2005 has seen four of the five largest crowds in Missouri history. After the record-setting crowd at the Nebraska match, Kansas drew 3,699 fans and ranks second all-time. The crowds for Colorado (2,571) and Kansas State (2,438) rank fourth and fifth in the Tigers all-time attendance matches, respectively.

With their terrific play, hard work ethic and constant ear-to-ear smiles the women of the MU volleyball team are having a large affect on the mid-Missouri and University of Missouri communities. Particularly among the female youth, many of whom are seeing rare success for female athletes for the first time and are quickly adopting different players as athletic role models.

"Most of the events we go to are of boys' teams playing, and so watching the girls are so different," Biddle said. "I really just like to watch them and see how good they are. They're so aggressive and they love what they do."

Now, wish that you'd been watching the best team on campus all year? It's not too late to jump on the bandwagon. The Tigers have two home matches remaining. They host No. 10 Texas on Sunday, Nov. 20, at 12:30 p.m., as they will try to avenge a loss in Austin back on Oct. 12. The match has two great promotions to go with. First, fans can get into the Hearnes for only two canned-good items as part of the "Tiger Ton Food Drive" that goes to benefit the Central Missouri Food Bank. Next, as an appreciation to volleyball fans, the first 500 through the gates will receive free donuts, fruit, coffee, and other refreshments on the concourse level as part of "Breakfast with the Tigers".

But for fans to really show their appreciation for all that the women's volleyball team gives on the court, they can watch the last home match on Nov. 26, when Texas A&M travels to Columbia. This marks the last regular season home match for seniors Lindsey Hunter, Shen Danru and Lisa Boyd.

Hunter and Danru's names are loitered all over the Missouri record books and they will end their careers as two of the best Missouri athletes of all-time. They, as well as the rest of the volleyball team, deserve even more support. There's a good chance you'll even see something worth cheering about, and, something to be proud of.