So far Marshall University’s men’s basketball team has played in two different exhibition games, and with the women’s team they have participated in the annual Herd Madness. These nights were filled with the introduction of new teams, amazing dunks and lots of basketball. But do you know what they were not filled with? Students in the stands. 

The student section at games has been less than full for the last three events. Most of the time, you might hear of attendance being low at women’s games, but these events with low attendance also included men’s games. 

So, what’s the deal?

It doesn’t stop with basketball though; consistently people come to football games and leave early, or they never even show up to support the volleyball team at all.

As students, we get into the games for free. There is a special section for us to hoot and holler and be absolutely ridiculous in, so why don’t we go? 

Here are at least two reason why you should:

Reason one is Marshall has become a home to so many students, and a lot of them are athletes. Some of these athletes moved here from the other side of the world. 

Let that sink in….they choose to come to Huntington, West Virginia from places like the Trinidad or Slovenia to be a part of the Herd. 

These people changed their entire lives to move to West Virginia. Their families can’t come support them, but we must show them that they have a new family and that’s their Marshall family. 

Reason two is that you are only here for four years, or sometimes five, but you get the point. Make the most of these moments. Go witness greatness. Go see a women’s player drop 25 points, go watch the amazing dunks at the guys’ games. Go support the women’s volleyball team as they change the culture that is Marshall volleyball. 

When fans pack the stadium or fill up the seats in the Cam Henderson Center, you make a difference in an athlete’s life, but it might also change yours.