Commentary: Attendance mandatory for volleyball

By Natalie Clericuzio     8/26/10 7:00pm

Looking for something to do tonight between dinner and the first public party of the year? I have a suggestion: Watch the volleyball team take on Texas Tech University at 7 p.m. in Tudor Fieldhouse.This is the team's first chance to see all that preseason work pay off. The team has been practicing twice a day since Aug. 9. When school started, the team kept practicing three hours a day, with weights twice a week. When most members of the class of 2014 were enjoying their last weeks at home with friends and family, Lindsay Daniel, Tyler Jenkins, Mariah Riddlesprigger and Megan Shepard were already on campus. And while I've been napping in the afternoons this week trying to recover from O-Week, they've been in the gym trying to make sure the Red Raiders are sorely disappointed by the outcome of tonight's match.

Your attendance tonight is crucial, not only as a reward for their hard work, but also necessary within the vast confines of Tudor Fieldhouse. Up until last season, the volleyball team had been playing at smaller Fox Gym. Although Fox was nowhere near as nice as Tudor, the gym's smaller feel made volleyball games seem louder and increased the intensity of the atmosphere. While the number of faithful volleyball fans has remained the same over the years, Tudor's larger capacity has decreased the impact of the student section. If you come out and bring your roommates, suitemates, advisers or O-Week group - heck, bring your whole floor! - the team will thank you and Tudor will be that much louder.

Attending the game will also give you a chance to watch the head coach, Genny Volpe, in action. One-on-one, Volpe is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet in sports. But don't let that fool you - when she's on the court, she means business. This will be Volpe's seventh season with the Owls. A star player at Texas A&M in her undergraduate years, Volpe has used her experience on the court to become a standout coach.

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In addition, this year's senior class could not be more deserving of your support. Tracey Lam has been tearing things up at libero since earning a starting spot as a freshman walk-on. Setter Meredith Schamun has been running the team's offense with precision herself for the past three years. Outside hitter Justyna Brewczyk has always contributed to the team and to helping the Owls win. Middle blocker Caroline Gill was plagued by injury last season, but she is bound to bring back her signature cheers of encouragement and on -the-court intensity.

And, don't forget, these volleyball players are students too, just like you and me. Except they don't have lazy afternoons or free weekends - they're at practice or in competition giving their all to represent Rice. Their efforts on the court bring recognition to Rice and provide us an entertaining way to take a study break.

If you've never been to a volleyball game, you don't know what you're missing. The matches are fast-paced, high-intensity, loud and always entertaining. These ladies jump higher, hit harder and dig lower than just about any other team sport athlete. The back-and-forth nature of the scoring ensures plenty of nailbiters and with this corps of athletes on the court, there's bound to be plenty of success for Rice this year.

Plus, for those of you feeling a little sticker shock after purchasing hundreds of dollars' worth of textbooks this week, remember that all non-playoff Rice sporting events are completely free with your student ID. So really, you've got nothing to lose. Put down your books, grab dinner in the servery and then walk over to Tudor - and bring your friends with you. I guarantee you won't regret it.

Natalie Clericuzio is a Wiess College senior and Thresher sports editor.

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