Some of the most active but overlooked events and programs on campus come from the Athletic Department. The start of a new school year brings frequent games, matches and tournaments from multiple sports teams.
While ACU sporting event attendance has increased over the past couple of years, the teams still do not receive as much support as they should. Each sport’s respective players put hours of daily work into their given sport and work toward the desired goal of winning—sweating and bleeding to make it happen.
After these countless hours of work, these players are entitled to a little support from the student body of the university for which they play. These teams are going to win or lose whether or not you come, but a little morale booster goes a long way.
ACU’s players would love to see hundreds of screaming, rowdy and flat-out obnoxious fans at their games.
This being said, here’s what’s going on in ACU’s world of sports during the fall semester:
• The football team, led by new head coach Chris Thomsen, is welcoming back fourteen starters from last year’s 5-5 squad. The team has posted .500 seasons the last three, and is ready to pick up the performance this year because of returning starters and head coach Thomsen. The team will be playing Central Oklahoma at 6 p.m. Saturday in Shotwell Stadium.
• The men’s and women’s cross country teams have a full schedule coming up as well. Friday, Sept. 9, brings the ACU Classic meet to Abilene. Most of the student body has never watched a cross country meet, but you must see one before graduation. They are quite fun.
• Volleyball probably has the busiest schedule among the fall sports teams, scheduled for two matches on Friday and one on Saturday. Coming into the season, the girls were ranked 26th in the nation for Division II, and are coming off last season’s Lone Star Conference championship and 28-8 record.
• The men and women tennis teams are competing in the ACU Wal-Mart Open Sept. 9-10 here in Abilene. The women won the Division II Central Region tennis title last year and advanced to the nationals in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
The men’s team added nationally ranked Mexican tennis player Juan Jose Nunez to the team this summer and is looking to make up for its tough loss in the Division II Central Region championship last year to end with a 28-8 record.
As this fall semester begins and each respective athletic team seeks Wildcat victory, go to each game, bring your friends, your foghorns and your feeling of pride for your local Wildcat sports teams.
See you out there.
Respond to this editorial at: optimist@acu.edu
