As the women’s basketball team goes into the final critical stretch of the regular season, the team works towards bringing more fans to the First United Bank Center.
The team only has three more regular season games at home, including two of their most important as they take on Midwestern State and Tarleton. In order to attract more WTAMU students to support the former National Championship winning team, each of these games has a promotion event, starting with a “Free Maroon T-Shirt” giveaway on Feb. 8.
Women’s Head Coach Krista Gerlich says trying to bring in students isn’t just about supporting the team but about students enjoying college life to the fullest.
“We want students to participate,” said Gerlich. “We want them to get the full college experience, which obviously athletics is a big part of the college experience. I think we have some students coming to the game but we’d really like for them to be our sixth man, to be a part of the game and to be a game changer.”One of the problems some students have with the games has nothing to do with the sport. Instead it’s the lack of knowing when games are.
“I usually don’t know when there are games. I’d be more likely to go if there was more advertising,” Environmental Science senior Morgen Ayers said.
While there are groups of students that make their way to the FUBC to watch games, most of the cheering comes from the group known as the Maroon Platoon. This rowdy group is often in the student section cheering the Lady Buffs and distracting the other team during the critical moments. But while the group may seem closed to those that don’t know much about them, President JD Newman encourages others to join in and support WT’s athletes.
“We want anyone to come that will come. If they just show up, we’ll welcome them in. Come to the games and yell, that’s what we’re all about,” Newman said.
The Lady Buffs are returning home on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. and will make their last regular season appearances later this month for a Pink-Out Game against Tarleton on Feb. 18 and a $200 Visa Gift Card Giveaway on Feb. 22 against Midwestern.
