Each day that passes, the ACC season draws nearer, and with ACC men's basketball comes the historically strong fan support associated with the league. Be it the Cameron Crazies or Garyland in College Park, the conference is known nationwide for the ravenous fans that line each team's sidelines.
In the last two years, Virginia fans have moved into the conference's top tier, advancing alongside the basketball team's own rise, gaining notoriety throughout the ACC.
"I think our students have been great, they've helped us win some big games the last few years," Men's Basketball coach Pete Gillen said.
Perhaps the phenomenon of students camping out for seats in University Hall provides the most obvious display of this newfound enthusiasm in the basketball program. Students at many other schools, such as Maryland and Duke, have been camping out for years, and in recent seasons, Virginia fans have joined in the fun.
Known affectionately as Hooville, the small tent city that springs up between University and Onesty Halls is the center of operations for Cavalier basketball faithful.
"Our students are the best in the country, they camp out eight days in advance" for home games, Gillen said.
Hooville has become a kind of rite of passage, affirming one's status as a die-hard fan. To complete a campout of up to two weeks, a group of 10 students must coordinate schedules, brave cold, windy weather and complete normal class work. By the time the big game arrives, Hooville residents have heckled the visiting team, received thanks and free food from players and coaches and are ready to claim their premium U-Hall seating to root for the Cavaliers.
Campouts "allow fans to come together before the game and build off the collective energy," second-year College student Brigitte Hoyer said.
Hoyer is a member of the Hoo Crew, a set of 12 devout Virginia fans who manage the Hooville campsite. Hoo Crew, organized by Student Council, runs tent checks, and, like any other group, must have a member present at all times.
Hoo Crew was created during confusion surrounding campout procedures two years ago, when many students complained of unfairness and a lack of organization in handing out seats.
Hooville is an evolving process, one with the aim of eventually "having all the students packed in the seats and enjoying every minute leading up to the game," fourth-year Engineering student Martin Radzio said.
Radzio is part of a group that is working in conjunction with the Athletic Department to overhaul the process of student admission to athletic events. The program remains in developmental stages and will not affect fans this year, but the idea is to ensure all seats are filled through an online reservation system.
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