With University of Utah sports fans’ attention attuned to the football team’s drive toward a bowl game, and the return of coach Rick Majerus to the men’s basketball team, it is no surprise that the volleyball program gets lost in the shuffle.
That shouldn’t be the case anymore.
This U volleyball team has recorded several historic accomplishments throughout the course of the fall season, including setting a team-best winning percentage, earning its first-ever Mountain West Conference championship and now, getting to host an NCAA Tournament regional for the first time.
While this group of Utes has gone it alone for most of the year, racking up an undefeated home record in games played at Crimson Court in the HPER complex, in spite of a noticeable dearth of fan support, it doesn’t want the same to be true of NCAAs.
Consequently, when teams representing Texas Tech, Brigham Young and Utah State universities come to the U for Thursday’s opening-round matches, the Utes want to let them know that spoiling their perfect home mark and preventing them from reaching the NCAA’s Sweet 16 won’t be an easy prospect.
U students should make a concerted effort to now demonstrate the support for this team that has been lacking on a widespread basis.
This is the fourth consecutive season that the Utes have made their way to the NCAA Tournament, but never before have they had the opportunity to capitalize on the undeniable advantage that comes from having fan support right there.
That ought to change.
There is no excuse for U sports fans not to finally give this team some well-deserved attention. The football team’s regular season has not yet ended, the basketball team’s has barely begun.
At any rate, neither can compare with taking a shot at a national championship, which is what this Ute volleyball team is attempting to do.
Whether or not you are familiar with the sport’s nuances or follow it on a regular basis doesn’t matter; this is simply a chance to give a deserving team some support.
Who knows when you’ll get another similar chance?