ThomasCostello
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Ohio State women’s volleyball set to make history Sunday
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Ohio State University Athletic Department
When the Buckeyes hit the floor this weekend against Michigan, it’ll be in front of the largest home crowd in program history.
The Schottenstein Center is the home of Ohio State women’s basketball, men’s basketball, men’s hockey, concerts, monster truck events, and anything your mind can imagine. Until Sunday, that didn’t include Ohio State women’s volleyball.
Sunday, when bitter rivals from Michigan head to town, it’ll be in front of the largest supporting crowd in program history when the Buckeyes play its first volleyball match in the Schottenstein Center. That record also has the potential to be completely shattered.
Since announcing the game on Oct. 8, Ohio State has 7,000 tickets confirmed. That already breaks the 5,402 in attendance against Purdue on Nov. 15, 1991, when the two sides played at St. John Arena.
To usher in history are a slate of giveaways, meet-and-greets, and more.
Fans are asked to wear scarlet for a Scarlet Out of the Maize and Blue. If you don’t have scarlet when you walk in, you’ll have something when you walk out with a scarlet towel giveaway for fans in attendance.
For students, they’ll also receive a shirt featuring the face of volleyball head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg, the former Buckeye star turned coach in January of 2020.
In terms of stadium experience, there will be a live anthem singer on top of pyrotechnics for player introductions. A similar experience to the men’s basketball team introductions, who will also be in attendance.
Also in the building on Sunday will be members of the 1994 women’s volleyball team that won the Big Ten championship on its way to the NCAA Final Four.
If that’s not enough, fans can meet the volleyball team after the match, complete with opportunities for autographs and pictures.
Tickets for the event start at $10 for the upper deck 300 level, and the ends of the 200 level. Lower deck corners start at $16 for individual tickets and sidelines go for $41. All Ohio State students get in free with their Buck-ID.
Playing at a larger arena is the first step in what’s a surge of support for women’s volleyball over the past few years. Even the famed St. John Arena couldn’t hold the excitement that surrounds the sport,
With the rapid growth of fandom in women’s sports in general, playing in front of a crowd double the size of the volleyball team’s current record isn’t out of the question.
The 2023 NCAA final between Texas and Nebraska, in Tampa, Florida, had 19,727 people in attendance. That’s a small crowd for the Cornhuskers too, after playing in front of a world record crowd for any women’s sports event with 92,003 in attendance at Memorial Stadium on Aug 30, 2023.
While the world record won’t be within reach in an arena that doesn’t hold more than 19,000 people, a program record is a big start.
On the court, Ohio State’s struggled of late. After making the Sweet Sixteen two years in a row, and a trip to the Elite Eight in 2022, the Buckeyes missed NCAA Tournament play last season with a 10-14 record (7-8 in Big Ten play).
So far this year, the Scarlet and Gray sits at 7-7, with no wins in conference play in four attempts but are keeping matches close. Only once this season has Ohio State failed to win a set against an opponent.
On Sunday, against the Indiana Hoosiers, the Buckeyes lost 1-3, but two of the sets ended with Ohio State within three points.
Ohio State lost its lone matchup against the Wolverines in 2023 but beat Michigan twice during the 2022 season.
Sunday will be the second time a women’s team broke an attendance record in the Schottenstein Center in 2024. On Jan 21, 2024, the Buckeyes women’s basketball team beat the Iowa Hawkeyes in front of 18,660 people.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Ohio State University Athletic Department
When the Buckeyes hit the floor this weekend against Michigan, it’ll be in front of the largest home crowd in program history.
The Schottenstein Center is the home of Ohio State women’s basketball, men’s basketball, men’s hockey, concerts, monster truck events, and anything your mind can imagine. Until Sunday, that didn’t include Ohio State women’s volleyball.
Sunday, when bitter rivals from Michigan head to town, it’ll be in front of the largest supporting crowd in program history when the Buckeyes play its first volleyball match in the Schottenstein Center. That record also has the potential to be completely shattered.
Since announcing the game on Oct. 8, Ohio State has 7,000 tickets confirmed. That already breaks the 5,402 in attendance against Purdue on Nov. 15, 1991, when the two sides played at St. John Arena.
To usher in history are a slate of giveaways, meet-and-greets, and more.
Fans are asked to wear scarlet for a Scarlet Out of the Maize and Blue. If you don’t have scarlet when you walk in, you’ll have something when you walk out with a scarlet towel giveaway for fans in attendance.
For students, they’ll also receive a shirt featuring the face of volleyball head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg, the former Buckeye star turned coach in January of 2020.
In terms of stadium experience, there will be a live anthem singer on top of pyrotechnics for player introductions. A similar experience to the men’s basketball team introductions, who will also be in attendance.
Also in the building on Sunday will be members of the 1994 women’s volleyball team that won the Big Ten championship on its way to the NCAA Final Four.
If that’s not enough, fans can meet the volleyball team after the match, complete with opportunities for autographs and pictures.
Tickets for the event start at $10 for the upper deck 300 level, and the ends of the 200 level. Lower deck corners start at $16 for individual tickets and sidelines go for $41. All Ohio State students get in free with their Buck-ID.
Playing at a larger arena is the first step in what’s a surge of support for women’s volleyball over the past few years. Even the famed St. John Arena couldn’t hold the excitement that surrounds the sport,
With the rapid growth of fandom in women’s sports in general, playing in front of a crowd double the size of the volleyball team’s current record isn’t out of the question.
The 2023 NCAA final between Texas and Nebraska, in Tampa, Florida, had 19,727 people in attendance. That’s a small crowd for the Cornhuskers too, after playing in front of a world record crowd for any women’s sports event with 92,003 in attendance at Memorial Stadium on Aug 30, 2023.
While the world record won’t be within reach in an arena that doesn’t hold more than 19,000 people, a program record is a big start.
On the court, Ohio State’s struggled of late. After making the Sweet Sixteen two years in a row, and a trip to the Elite Eight in 2022, the Buckeyes missed NCAA Tournament play last season with a 10-14 record (7-8 in Big Ten play).
So far this year, the Scarlet and Gray sits at 7-7, with no wins in conference play in four attempts but are keeping matches close. Only once this season has Ohio State failed to win a set against an opponent.
On Sunday, against the Indiana Hoosiers, the Buckeyes lost 1-3, but two of the sets ended with Ohio State within three points.
Ohio State lost its lone matchup against the Wolverines in 2023 but beat Michigan twice during the 2022 season.
Sunday will be the second time a women’s team broke an attendance record in the Schottenstein Center in 2024. On Jan 21, 2024, the Buckeyes women’s basketball team beat the Iowa Hawkeyes in front of 18,660 people.
Continue reading...