Sports fans here at UW are missing out on a great opportunity. On average, only about 230 students attend Badger volleyball games at the Fieldhouse, which is far less than even 1 percent of the students here on campus.

Going into this season, UW head coach Pete Waite had the goal of moving up in the national attendance charts and overtaking Nebraska to become No. 2 in national attendance averages.

So far this year, fans have not met that challenge, and, in fact, Wisconsin is actually bringing in approximately 300 fewer fans than last year’s total of 3,745 fans per game.

Currently, Hawaii is leading the country in attendance with 7,300, Nebraska is second with 4,548 and Wisconsin is a little over a thousand fans behind the Huskers with 3,402 fans per game.

There is no reason this university should not be able to pack the Fieldhouse with at least 5,000 people, much less fill the facility to its capacity of 10,600. With a student body over 40,000 people, there is no shortage of a possible fan base on campus.

The volleyball program here at UW has been one of the most successful athletic programs on campus in the past three years, and that alone should draw more than 230 students to each match.

In the 1999 season, the team finished 23-9 and tied for second in conference play. Badger left-side hitter Jenny Maastricht was named an AVCA All-American.

The next season, the Badgers played through a Cinderella season, in which the team finished 34-3 and won a Big Ten championship. In postseason play, the team exceeded expectations by making it to the NCAA championship match, where the team eventually lost to perennial volleyball power Nebraska.

After the season, not one but two UW players, middle blocker Sherisa Livingston and setter Lizzy Fitzgerald, were named AVCA All-Americans. Livingston was named Big Ten player of the year.

Finally, last year in the 2001 season, the team steamrolled to another Big Ten championship, posting a 27-4 record. The team’s success was cut short in regional play, but once again Livingston and Fitzgerald were named All-Americans, this time with Fitzgerald earning Big Ten player-of-the-year honors.

With the Big Ten providing perhaps the most competitive volleyball conference in the nation, UW’s recent success should not be taken too lightly. Almost every single Big Ten match entertains fans with exciting and intense play. The matches at the Fieldhouse are no exception.

For those of you who are not necessarily the biggest volleyball fans in the world but are sports fans in general, the Fieldhouse is still the place for you to be.

Almost no UW student here on campus was a student here when the basketball team played in the Fieldhouse. Many students who have never witnessed an athletic event in this venue are definitely missing out. While the building is not extremely new and shiny like the Kohl Center, there is something about the place that makes you feel at home.

Perhaps it is because the building only holds 10,600 fans, but when watching a match in the Fieldhouse the noise level is intense, and it seems like every sound is resonating throughout the building. Fans feels as though they are involved in the action themselves.

The band definitely adds to the atmosphere, as the cheerful and familiar school songs sound from wall to wall, making the crowd even more deafening than usual.

Then there are the cheers of “Point Wisconsin” that occur after every single Wisconsin point; keep in mind there could be up to 131 points in each match. Nevertheless, the crowd continues to yell with authority after each point and remains passionate about every Badger score.

Above all, when attending volleyball matches, fans can feel close to the team, because they are very near the court and see the looks upon the player’s faces after each and every point.

This year’s Badger squad does not disappoint in terms of visible emotion and excitement. Whether it is setter Morgan Shields jumping in the air after a quick dump for a kill or middle blocker Sheila Shaw’s beaming smile after she pounds one down the middle of the team’s opposing defense, the team never runs short of energetic antics or emotional celebrations.

Overall, fans are sure to enjoy many aspects of a UW volleyball match at the Fieldhouse. Whether it is the competitive Big Ten play, the old-style Fieldhouse atmosphere or the raw emotion and enjoyment the players utilize when on the court, something is sure to make you a happy camper.

There are only four more games left this season, unless the team hosts a home regional game, two this weekend and two next week Wednesday and Friday. So, unless you are willing to miss out on an awesome experience, I suggest you check out some UW volleyball action.