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The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

Fans pumped up about Blue Demons

This year is a year of uncertainty for the DePaul Blue Demons. Both teams are young and while the women are coming off a stellar performance last year that took them to the NCAA tournament the men are still rebuilding. One thing that is certain though is the need for fans.

Deanna Ortiz, a senior majoring in Business Administration does not only play guard for the DePaul women’s basketball team but is also a President of DePaul’s Capitan’s Council. Ortiz thinks the fans are a huge part of the game.

“The fans are our 6th man,” said Ortiz.

The fans make it hard on other teams who are visiting by chanting and cheering. Ortiz mentions that positive chants create a better atmosphere than “booing” and screaming at the opposing team.

“We like positive chants, it helps us to feed into it,” said Ortiz.

The women’s team plays at the Sullivan Athletic Center in Lincoln Park which is already an intimate atmosphere. Every clap, scream and encouragement is heard by the teammates. Oritz and her team like to salute the fans after the game and show their appreciation for fans’ support.

Last year, with all this positive energy circulating the court, a Blue Demon fan stormed the court in jubilation after a women’s basketball wining game against Notre Dame.

Claire Sindlinger, a freshman marketing major loves to attend double headers where she can cheer for the women’s and the men’s team. Her favorite part, besides the game itself is all the commotion on the court. With the pep band, dance team and the cheerleaders the crowd always gets hyped.

“The games are really exciting, there are great plays and the dunks get the crowd going,” said Sindlinger.

At the Allstate Arena, there is a special section for the fans that tends to get rambunctious with doing all things “DePaul”. Calvin Hahn, a junior majoring in journalism, likes to sit above the fan section, to avoid getting beer spilled on him and face paint rubbing off on his DePaul shirts.

With the Big East rookie of the year Cleveland Melvin, the men’s games have definitely received media attention. Being in the Big East Conference attracts many students to the All State Arena to support the Demons and get a sneak-peak at opposing team’s players.

“Most of these players will end up being drafted into the NBA,” said Hahn.

With All State arena being far away from the school, the ride out there has become part of the game. Anthony Langone, a senior journalism and creative writing major, looks to the ride out as much as the game and the players.

“Riding the bus to All State is awesome because of how pumped everyone is. It’s one of the only times that I feel like DePaul comes together and actually supports something,” said Langone.

The spirit of DePaul lies not with how many wins the teams get, but with the spirit and the love for the team by the student body. It is a tradition that is upheld in high regards on campus. Many students are looking to see whom DePaul will recruit next. “Dibs” on the next best player for 2012-2013 school year.

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