By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – The NCAA Division II regular-season attendance record is back in Kearney.
And that’s exactly where it belongs, according to Rick Squiers.
The head coach of the University of Nebraska at Kearney volleyball team was all smiles Wednesday evening after 4,003 fans packed the Health and Sports Center to watch the 10th-ranked Lopers take down Peru State College in their home opener.
“Unbelievable,” Squiers said after the three-set sweep. “Loper nation, hats off to them for being competitive enough to say, ‘We want to be No. 1.’”
“It’s just a great volleyball town and a program that’s done this for a long time.”
The Lopers already held the Division II volleyball attendance record, set in 2005 when 5,025 people were at the Health and Sports Center for a national championship match between UNK and Grand Valley State. They also owned the regular-season attendance record – 3,520 fans for UNK vs. Nebraska-Omaha in 1996. However, that mark was topped last fall when the University of Alaska Anchorage hosted Central Washington at the Alaska Airlines Center with 3,888 fans in attendance.
Once the Lopers realized the record was no longer theirs, “We made it our mission to take it back,” setter Peyton Neff said.
Playing at “center court” in the Health and Sports Center for the first time since 2007, the Lopers were supported by a loud and energetic crowd, particularly for a nonconference match.
“It was just crazy,” said Neff, a North Platte native. “Normally at our home games we have a lot of people here and it feels like we have so much support, but it was just beyond amazing tonight. It was so loud in here and it was really fun to play in that environment.”
“Playing here in the Health and Sports Center just wouldn’t be the same without all the fans,” she added. “They’re a big reason why I wanted to come to UNK and why a lot of other people want to come to UNK, too.”
For Neff and her teammates, the UNK faithful are a point of pride.
“So many teams that come to play in Kearney are a little bit intimidated by our atmosphere and the amount of fans who show up and cheer us on,” defensive specialist Jensen Rowse said. “That’s something that we’re really proud of and we just appreciate it so, so much.”
UNK has now hosted seven matches in program history that drew more than 3,000 fans, and the Lopers were part of last week’s Volleyball Day in Nebraska celebration, which set a record for the most-attended women’s sports event ever. An astounding 92,003 people filled Memorial Stadium in Lincoln to watch an exhibition match between UNK and Wayne State College, followed by a regular-season contest featuring the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Nebraska-Omaha.
“We have such a good community and they support us so much here in Kearney, but it goes beyond that,” Neff said. “It was obvious during Volleyball Day in Nebraska – Nebraska is just the volleyball capital of the world. I think we proved that last week in Memorial Stadium and we proved it again tonight.”
Rowse had the same reaction.
“Like we saw last week, volleyball as a whole in Nebraska is just unbelievable,” the Minden native said. “It’s awesome that a smaller city like Kearney can mirror that and show that even at the DII level we really show up.”
Now 5-0 on the season, UNK is seeking its 24th consecutive appearance in the Division II national tournament. That’s one of the next goals to focus on.
“With the season just being five days in, it feels like we’ve done all kinds of amazing things already and we still have most of it left,” Squiers said. “Some really interesting, lasting experiences that I think our student-athletes are going to remember for a long time.”
👂Sounds like a record-breaking crowd. 👀 Looks like a record-breaking crowd. That’s right @UNKvolleyball just set the @NCAADII regular-season attendance record with 4,003 fans at tonight’s match. Way to represent Loper fans! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/uekV0uWOIC
— University of Nebraska at Kearney (@UNKearney) September 6, 2023
Top 10 UNK Volleyball Home Crowds
Grand Valley State (12/3/2005) – 5,025 – NCAA Tourney – Division II record
Truman State (12/1/2005) – 4,412 – NCAA Tourney
Cal State Los Angeles (12/2/2005) – 4,331 – NCAA Tourney
Peru State (9/6/2023) – 4,003 – Division II regular-season record
Nebraska-Omaha (10/15/1996) – 3,520
Portland State (11/18/1995) – 3,316 – NCAA Tourney
Metro State (11/8/2002) – 3,109
Metro State (11/19/2004) – 2,814 – NCAA Tourney
Wayne State (11/1/2011) – 2,901
Fort Hays State (11/21/2004) – 2,776 – NCAA Tourney
And that’s a wrap on an amazing night in the Health & Sports Center. A special THANK YOU to our fans for attending and helping bring the NCAA Regular Season Attendance Record back to @UNKearney. 💯💪 4003!!! @UNKvolleyball #LopesUp @UNK_Athletics pic.twitter.com/nNxgZznwew
— Marc Bauer (@CoachMarcBauer) September 7, 2023
