CSU expecting Moby Madness to face No. 4 Wisconsin
Deedra Foss knows she can’t prepare her young teammates for what’s coming Saturday night.
A white-out crowd at Moby Arena will greet Foss and the CSU volleyball team as they face No. 4 Wisconsin.
Foss experienced a similar event in her first career home start in 2011 when the Rams faced No. 5 Nebraska.
There were 6,750 fans in the stands creating a din as Colorado State University came back from a 2-0 deficit to win a 3-2 thriller.
“I remember being out on the court with my heart pounding, and I couldn’t breathe,” Foss recalled this week. “I was so nervous.”
Fans stormed the court after the win, providing one of the most memorable moments in CSU volleyball history.
The Rams are hoping to break the attendance mark set at that match at 7 p.m. Saturday with last year’s national runners up in town.
Foss and middle blocker Kelsey Snider are the only players still on the team who played in that Nebraska match. Others were on the team in 2012 for a five-set loss to No. 2 UCLA in front of 5,641 fans.
But there are several Rams who will be getting their first taste of a big-time atmosphere.
“Nothing you say prepares you for it until you’re out there playing,” Foss said. “You’re going to be nervous, you’re going to be scared, but we’re all here for you.”
Coach Tom Hilbert says Wisconsin is as good in six of the seven starting positions as anyone CSU will face all year.
He views matches like this as much more than a way to test his team and prepare them for later in the season. He thinks it is his duty to repay the love and faith the fans give his program, with CSU ranking seventh in the nation in average attendance last year.
“Because of what we’ve built here with the fan support, it’s kind of our responsibility to bring in the best programs in the country,” Hilbert said. “These teams want to come play in an environment like this, and our players are excited about it and our fans are excited about it. As a result, we’re making volleyball legitimate. It helps grow the sport nationwide.”
Wisconsin is 3-0 after beating University of Northern Colorado in four sets Friday, 25-14, 25-27, 25-22, 25-18. The dropped second set is the first the Badgers have lost this season.
Wisconsin will play Florida A&M at 11:30 a.m. Saturday before facing the Rams.
CSU is ranked No. 13 in the nation and is 5-0 after sweeping Florida A&M Friday night 25-13, 25-16, 25-11. That’s now 15 straight sets won to open the season for the Rams.
Matches like Saturday’s are win-win situations for Hilbert. It brings in a big crowd to help grow the fan base, it provides a true test for the team that Mountain West opponents don’t, and it is a tool for recruiting.
Hilbert aims to have a marquee match every year and can sell future players on the chance to play in the type of atmosphere most volleyball programs can’t provide.
In addition to the white-out, there are several promotions for Saturday’s match, including a pregame barbecue for students and poster giveaways.
“Those that haven’t seen a volleyball game in Fort Collins ought to come out to this because it’s showcasing some of the best talent in the United States,” Hilbert said.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle at twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle and at facebook.com/KevinSLytle.
Next up: No. 5 Wisconsin at No. 13 CSU, 7 p.m. Saturday, Moby Arena
Tickets: Can be purchased online at csurams.com/tickets
Twitter updates: @Kevin_Lytle
Notable: CSU is 8-2 in its 10 best-attended home matches in history … Top attendance in CSU volleyball history is 6,750 for a five-set win over No. 5 Nebraska in 2011 ... Wisconsin went 28-10 in 2013 ... The Badgers advanced to the NCAA tournament title game before losing 3-1 to Penn State.