Some colleges acclimate students to campus life with icebreakers and orientation activities. But mud fights? That’s a tradition special to Ohio Northern.
Hundreds of students gathered at the edge of Fraternity Circle on Labor Day weekend to participate in Residence Life’s annual Mud Volleyball Tournament. Three heavily-mudded volleyball courts were surrounded by roars of laughter and cheers as the crowd watched participants become caked in dirt. Unsuspecting onlookers were prone to getting thrown in the mud themselves — or at the very least, splashed by their friends.
One aspect of the day that attracts students to the courts are the indescribable vibes. Fourth year student Alyssa Arthur has participated in mud volleyball every fall since she started college and enjoys “matching everyone’s energy” year after year.
The purpose of the tournament extends beyond friendly competition. The little moments students share after the volleyball games is what makes the event memorable. When asked for her favorite part of the event, Arthur said, “We lost, unfortunately, but probably after [the game]. We all talked with each other in the mud and then ran to the pond to wash off.”
The office of Residence Life hosts the tournament each year to build a community amongst new and returning students. This year’s event was organized by Founders Hall Resident Director Micah Hamstra, who appreciates the sense of nostalgia mud volleyball provides.
“It gives us a moment to do something we haven’t done for a long time since we were being kids,” reflected Hamstra. “You know, we’re kind of into this free trial of adulthood, almost, within our college life, but now that we are moving into [adulthood], we have less time and less opportunities to just be silly and have fun and just do something that is really off-the-wall crazy.”
The tournament served as both a social event for students and a fundraiser for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Registration fees were donated to provide reading materials for children in Hardin County and inspire the next generation of students.
“Although we are at in higher education, continuing to invest in younger individuals, especially the youth, is really, really important,” said Hamstra, “so that way they can see the possibilities of going into higher education as well.”
The mud volleyball tournament reflects the college journey Polar Bears may experience at Ohio Northern. Their adventures might get a bit messy at times, but joy and friendships formed along the way can make it all worthwhile.
Participant Evan Dinan celebrates a mud volleyball victory with his teammate (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Mud volleyball participant celebrates an amazing play by her teammates (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
All kinds of athleticism were put on display at the mud volleyball tournament (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Mud volleyball participants become caked in dirt during their games (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Mud volleyball players hosing down after playing mud volleyball (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
The stakes are high as the teams enter the final round of the mud volleyball tournament (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Teammates hype each other up as they score in the mud volleyball tournament (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Participants take on the dirt and grime that comes with playing mud volleyball (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Teammates celebrate scoring a point at the mud volleyball tournament (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Resident Assistant Noah Kelly overseeing the Rock, Paper, Scissors match that determines which team serves the ball first (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
The ONU wrestling team starts a wrestling match of their own after a volleyball game (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Participants are covered in mud head-to-toe at the mud volleyball tournament (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Participants are engaged in an action-packed game of mud volleyball (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Mud volleyball participants hype up their teammates as they prepare to serve the ball (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Resident Assistant Daniel Beshay resetting the score for a new game of mud volleyball (Northern Review/Evelyn Megery) 
Participants push each other into the mud once they are eliminated from the tournament (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
A mud volleyball player’s focus increases as they approach the final rounds of the tournament (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Individuals from a variety of different sports teams on campus came together to play mud volleyball, like the women’s basketball team (Northern Review Photo/Evelyn Megery)