Hooville's Long Wait
Welcome to Hooville, a campout complete with multi-colored tents, sleeping bags, blankets, munchies and lounge chairs.
For a handful of University basketball fans, yesterday was Day 3 of the campout for Wednesday's game against Duke.
Sprawled out on a red plaid blanket on the floor of University Hall's lobby, second-year College student Luca Sciullo saved a space for the Wig Men, a group of 12 student fans who wear orange and blue wigs to basketball games.
"We're hoping to get seats opposite of the [Pep] Band," Sciullo said.
He and fellow group member Scott Schumate, a second-year College student, staked out spots for the Wig Men until yesterday evening, when others came to relieve them for the night.
Student fan groups can sign up to save their space in line on a poster board grid that hangs in U-Hall's lobby, but only if they agree to follow the rules as stated on a piece of notebook paper taped on the lobby's window. At least one member of the group must be present at all times.
First-year College students Beth Watson and Kim Stokes, who joined forces with another fan group - the Tie Guys - at an earlier game, carefully guarded their group's spot.
"Everybody is really dedicated to U.Va. basketball," Stokes said of herself and the other campers.
"It's also a good place to get work done," added Watson, highlighter in hand.
"Pete Gillen came over earlier and said he was going to bring us food," Stokes said.
Second-year Engineering student John Bruneau recalled the previous night when he and some of his friends slept on the high jump mats in the Cage in Onesty Hall.
The Cage, open each night from midnight to 8 a.m., gives students a place to sleep other than outside in tents.
Some fans have taken extreme organizational measures to ensure good seats at the Duke game.
"We set up a spread sheet on Excel" to schedule shifts for each person, said first-year Engineering student Kyle Goggin, a member of the Lefevre Beavers group.
"I bought this online for $25," said Goggin, pointing to the blue tent he was setting up outside U-Hall. He said he plans to use it for future campouts such as the UNC game later this month and the Dave Matthews Band concert in April.
And what if boredom sets in?
"We're going to rent some DVDs and watch them on the laptop and make some signs," Goggin said. The group also had plans for a trip to the grocery store.
There may not be a fire-side sing-a-long or s'mores, but until Wednesday night, U-Hall is a true campground.
Odds compiled by Julie Hofler
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