Athletics are a key element in what makes up every university’s experience. Some colleges seem to be defined by or most known from one of their athletic teams. For schools with less recognized athletic programs, each team still serves as an important piece in its students’ careers in many different ways. The Outlook decided to explore our varying experiences with Monmouth Athletics.
For some students, interacting with their university’s athletic programs can be a key gateway to a post-graduation career. One editor, who has worked as a Communication Assistant with Athletics since their junior year, said, “I have missed only two home games this semester. Every game is exciting to go to and I am lucky to be a part of them.”
Another editor interested in pursuing a career in sports media began covering one of Monmouth’s athletic programs for The Outlook since his first week on campus as a freshman and continued it through his senior year.
An athlete herself, one of our editors’ support for Monmouth Athletics does not stop at her own sport’s schedule. “I probably attend at least one Monmouth sporting event a week,” she said. “Although, it can be tough to attend games during my own season.”
Many editors, however, have either never attended or have only been to a few athletics events during their college career at Monmouth. “I personally have never been to a Monmouth Athletics event, but I know that sporting events are a huge part of the University culture and bring people together,” an editor said.
Those editors who have attended games at Monmouth have mainly made it out to what are arguably the University’s most notable programs: Football and Men’s Basketball. “Men’s Basketball was a really fun time,” one editor said. “This was also at the peak of the Monmouth Bench craze.”
In 2015/2016, a combination of strong performances on the court and the tendency of the players on the benches’ choreographed celebrations saw Monmouth Men’s Basketball garner national attention. This also created buzz on campus and led to higher attendance at home games. Another editor said, “I think as a spectator I enjoy going to the basketball games the most. It’s just a fun environment.”
Monmouth University is no different from other colleges across the country in that it invests a lot of resources into its athletic facilities. The University has renovated or remodeled multiple fields and stadiums in the last few years, including the football team’s stadium. “The new Kessler Stadium is a marvel here and not many schools of our size can have something that is comparable,” an editor said.
One editor prefers the home of the men’s basketball team, the OceanFirst Bank Center, the most. “In my opinion, it is a small collegiate basketball arena, but that is what makes it so great. There isn’t a bad seat in the house. Fans can feel more connected,” he said.
While another editor appreciates the quality of the athletics facilities at Monmouth, they called the usage of the school’s resources into question. “I think that sometimes other buildings (on campus) are not prioritized for remodeling since Athletics is a major component of the University’s reputation,” they said.
Above all, many of the editors said that Athletics are both relevant to students and generally important to Monmouth, but most also agreed that there is a discrepancy in the popularity and representation of the different programs on campus. “I don’t think that some of the smaller sporting teams get as much recognition even though they are just as good if not better than some of the larger teams on campus,” an editor said.
The lack of school spirit and pride in Monmouth’s athletic teams comes down to the students, according to one editor. “I hear so many people saying that they wish Monmouth had more school spirit, but they don’t realize that we, the students, have control over that,” they said. “I think if the sports teams were more relevant and acknowledged it would make for a closer-knit student body.”
It is impossible to ignore the presence of Monmouth’s Athletic programs on campus. One resounding opinion from The Outlook’s editors is that our school’s sports teams deserve all the support they get.