For maybe the first time in years, it seems that the students of Ohio University have optimistic feelings about the school's sports teams.
The hiring of former University of Nebraska coach Frank Solich and the surprising success of the men's basketball team looks to have finally given students something to look forward to when it comes to varsity sports.
Once known as a drinking school with a football problem
the future of OU football looks more promising with the arrival of Solich. The team has already received more publicity than in the past and hopes are high for the team that has not made a bowl game since 1968.
I'm definitely excited for next season freshman Chris Tackett said. We've got a new coach who has brought new life into the program. We had a solid season last year with many improvements and it's evident that we're a program on its way up.
Picked by many to be last in the Mid-American Conference East division, the Ohio men's basketball team surprised everyone this winter with its run to the NCAA tournament. By advancing so far, the team was given large amounts of exposure with its last two games broadcast on national TV.
Sophomore Brian Bauer said that it was great to finally see an OU team succeed and receive recognition for it.
When the men's basketball team won the MAC tournament it was really cool Bauer said. It brought a lot of publicity to the school and it got everyone excited and it showed me that we can actually go far in sports.
Junior Brady Harrison said that he has high hopes for men's basketball next season, but still has his doubts about the other teams.
I think the basketball team is going to do really well next year
Harrison said. They were young this year and they were still able to make the NCAA tournament. The other teams didn't do really well though. Maybe they have something to build on
but they did not have a tremendous amount of success.
Putting together a winning season may be the cure for filling seats at OU athletic events. Men's basketball filled the seats more and more as the season went on. The team's first home game of the winter quarter against rival Marshall drew 3,179 fans compared to 5,216 fans at the final regular season game of the year against Buffalo.
Sophomore Alex Hindley said that when OU teams succeed, a stronger companionship takes over the student body.
When everybody is going to the sporting events
and the teams are winning and doing well
it brings tremendous unity to the students
Hindley said.
Winning has not helped the volleyball team fill the seats, however. The team won its second MAC championship in a row last fall, but saw its average home attendance drop from 657 to 618 fans per game. Tackett feels that the team needs to succeed beyond the MAC level to receive more recognition.
For the volleyball team to get the respect they deserve and to get more people in the stands
they will have to make some noise on the national level
Tackett said.
When 50 students were polled, 42 stated they were more excited for the next Ohio athletics season than years previous. Thirty said next season will be a better year for the Bobcats while only two said it would be worse. Eighteen students said Ohio would only experience a mediocre season.
Even if the Bobcats falter next season and fail to win anything at the national level, it looks as if the days are over when one could walk into Peden Stadium or the Convo and snag a front row seat.
