The question to answer this year is “Can you dig it?” and the answer is yes, at least for the players who registered to play Mud Volleyball this year.
This muddy version of volleyball has been going on at Ohio Northern for over 30 years. Some students signed up because they love the sport, wanted to get down and dirty with friends or, like freshman Allison Dennis, because it was a spur of the moment decision.
“My friend was creating a team that needed more people, so my roommate volunteered me and I went with it. It turned out to be extremely fun!”
There were plenty of teams that participated, 100 to be exact. “Where’s Our Trophy,” “Setsy and I Know It,” “Freshmen 15” and “Dat Ace Doe” were just some of the amusing pun names that lined the rosters. However, by the end of the day Team F.O.S had beat out the Volley Brawlers.
Shania Johnson, a freshman Pre-Med/Biology major, talked about how fast the game went. Her team went up against alumni and got defeated 0-12.
“The game went so fast. The pit got so muddy and I ended up getting injured. It was all worth the gash I had in my knee and the pain because I had fun with my friends and it was a great start to my freshman year,” she said.
The games are played at the mud pits by the soccer fields and were not just limited to ONU students. Anyone interested in getting down and dirty could sign up, and many did. There were many mothers with strollers and fathers holding their children, and even President DiBiasio and his wife joined in on the festivities.
Even if you were not signed up, you could still sit and watch the teams play, which is what Lydia Ackermann did.
“I’m not really a volleyball person, but my friends were signed up to play so I thought I would support them by coming out to watch them play. I ended having a blast. It was amusing to see all the players being thrown into the mud, some willing and some not. I had so much fun just watching, so maybe next year I’ll sign up to play!”
Freshmen weren’t the only players, either. Many upperclassmen participated as well.
This was Elizabeth Selhorst’s second year playing. She loved the friendly competition between people of all ages, and loved the fact that the games build trust between roommates and friends.
“It’s a great time to get down and dirty and I love getting to be myself! It’s a wonderful experience that I would suggest for anyone who likes to get dirty and have fun,” she said.