Don't forget the little guys
Ian Richardson
Issue date: 11/11/09 Section: Op/Ed
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Over the past few years of covering UNCW sports, I've noticed men's basketball is the only team commanding a true and consistent fan base. While it is the so-called sport of the school, there's still no reason why we shouldn't pay attention to our other teams, some of whom are making noise at the national level.
There's no question the UNCW soccer program is currently in the midst of its most successful year to date. Both the men's and women's sides have enjoyed big seasons resulting in postseason play. Last Sunday the Lady Seahawks captured their first ever Colonial Athletic Association title with a 1-0 victory over James Madison in the tournament final. They will take their 13-7-1 record to Chapel Hill Friday, Nov. 13 to face-off with Georgia in their first ever NCAA tournament appearance.
On the men's side, head coach Aidan Heaney's bunch have just wrapped up their second straight CAA regular season title and are currently ranked 22nd in the nation. The Seahawks boast a record of 12-2-4 and are on an 11-game unbeaten streak. UNCW will host the CAA tournament for the second year in a row Nov. 13-15 and the Seahawks look to have a strong case for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament should they fail to collect the conference championship.
Despite the extreme success of the soccer programs this year, both have struggled to find a consistent fan base with home game attendance rarely reaching the 500 mark.
An established dynasty in the CAA, the men's swimming and diving team has taken the last eight conference crowns. Head coach Dave Allen has also won three CAA titles with the women, the most recent coming in the 2005-06 season. Both squads have already jumped out to early winning records (men: 3-1, women: 4-1) after losing the opening meet at Duke.
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