One of the best collegiate athletes in all of Canada will be competing in Allen Fieldhouse at 6:30 tonight.
This time it is not Andrew Wiggins, who is off to the Bahamas with his Kansas University basketball teammates for the Thursday-Saturday Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.
She’s volleyball All-American Caroline Jarmoc of Calgary, Alberta, who leads KU’s NCAA-bound KU volleyball team against Denver University in a match that’s open to the public at no cost.
Yes, tickets are free, with the Jayhawks (22-6) hoping for as many fans as possible.
“We’re doing it to promote the sport first and foremost. We can get more fans in there,” KU coach Ray Bechard said.
Horejsi Center, regular home of the Jayhawks, seats 1,300. Allen seats 16,300.
“That’s one of our criteria as a program — how are we promoting the sport in this region? We think that’s important. Denver is excited about doing that, too. And, there might be the chance if we end strongly and get a first-round host, why not go in and have some experience in there?” Bechard said.
KU, which had an RPI of 11 last week, appears to have wrapped up a second-straight berth in the NCAA Tournament. Victories over Denver and Oklahoma on Saturday in Norman, Okla., likely would assure KU of hosting in the NCAAs. The Jayhawks are 12-3 in the Big 12. Denver enters with a 17-12 mark.
“I love playing in the fieldhouse,” KU senior Erin McNorton said. “I like how we can get more fans in there. Here (in Horejsi) we sometimes have to turn people away. Last year we got a student section (in fieldhouse). I love playing in there.”
Of KU’s match in the fieldhouse, basketball coach Bill Self said: “It’s going to be great. Ray and his staff, the young ladies … what a year they’ve had. The last time they did that, I think they got about 10,000 people, 8,000 or 10,000 people in here, so hopefully that’ll be the case again.”
