By Justin Bercovich
Being a part of the enthusiastic crowd in the West Field House on Friday night provided perspective into the growth of Slug fans across campus. These were not causal sports fans passing time by attending a volleyball game; these were passionate students, well educated on the sport that they were watching.
The facility was filled to capacity. The bleachers were full and an overflow crowd stood wherever they could find room. The audience, led by the Men’s Swim Team, cheered loudly, early, and often, showing the Aggies that they were not in Davis anymore.
Yelling and screaming followed every Slug point throughout the match, and every time Davis scored, the crowd roared in an attempt to distract the server. Whenever the Slugs served, on the other hand, a deafening silence filled the air, allowing the Slug’s server all the concentration he needed.
The number of sports fans at UC Santa Cruz is growing, thanks, in part, to the great success that Slug teams have had in recent years. People do not see UCSC as a “sports school,” but the programs that do exist on campus are well supported. The volleyball team had a terrific season, and the electrifying atmosphere on Senior Night showed that it isn’t going unnoticed.
