It’s tucked away in the country twang of Tennessee.
Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee are the
notable universities, virtually concealing the private Christian
university. For an outsider to have heard about it would be an
anomaly.
But for the past week, Belmont University, which is a liberal
arts school with 4,300 students enrolled, has wrested the limelight
after its men’s basketball team received the school’s
first-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 15 seed. They will
play the No. 2 seeded UCLA Bruins today in San Diego.
The buzz surrounding the team is unparalleled to anything
players, students and supporters have seen.
“Without a doubt, this is the biggest thing happen to our
school,” starting senior forward Dan Oliver said.
To think, all of this happened when school wasn’t in
session.
When the Belmont Bruins (20-10) captured the Atlantic Sun
Championship over Lipscomb in overtime, giving them an automatic
bid to the Big Dance, not a single soul was on campus as students
dispersed for spring break. But when the students returned, the
Belmont campus was in a frenzy.
It didn’t stop there.
Belmont coach Rick Byrd called up as many former players as he
could as the team, students, friends and families all watched the
Selection Sunday show together.
Celebration erupted in the lobby of the Beaman Student Life
Center when what seemed like the entire community saw
Belmont’s name appear.
“There had to be between 800-1000 people. There was no
room to move and when everyone started screaming (when we saw our
name), it was just so crazy,” said Meredith Edwards, a senior
at Belmont University. “Just to make it this far is so great
for our school, academics, and community. It’s great to be a
part of it all.”
Times have changed for the university since being recognized
nationally.
Featured in this past Monday’s USA Today, the Belmont
basketball team was front and center on its cover page. Newspapers
and reporters have swarmed the athletic department for requests. On
Tuesday, the Belmont Bruins had a send-off party with close to 600
supporters cheering on their team. Even the people pumping gas from
the nearby station came by, recalled Oliver.
More than anything, Oliver says it’s been great for the
school because of the amount of recognition and coverage the school
has received.
“Our school has been on display ““ our program grows
and other athletics do as well,” Oliver said. “Our
school just gains and grows so much because of this.”
To show fans their appreciation, Belmont University President
Bob Fisher and Associate Athletic Director Betty Wiseman selected
13 avid student fans and provided them with all expenses paid trips
to the NCAA Tournament in San Diego. Selection was largely based on
continuing support of Belmont basketball, home and away, and
involvement with the university.
The trip includes a free roundtrip ticket from Nashville to LAX
Airport, a chartered bus that takes the students to Cox Arena, and
hotel accommodations. To say the least, Edwards, who boarded the
plane on Tuesday, was ecstatic after getting a call from the school
president’s office about getting chosen to be one of the
lucky thirteen.
“It’s just a huge ordeal and I’m so excited
that I get to go,” Edwards said. “There’s just so
much buzz going around campus. Everybody’s talking about it.
We’re all proud.”
Belmont is seventh in the nation in scoring (81.8 ppg), ranks
fourth in field-goal percentage (.500) and is seventh in 3-point
shooting (.381). Interestingly enough, all the numbers are better
than the UCLA Bruins. But just facing UCLA is something that
members of the team are looking forward to.
“If anything, with the tradition UCLA has established, the
school epitomizes what every program is striving for,” Oliver
said.
Belmont fans are coming out of their shells.
UCLA psychology professor Christia Spears Brown is a Belmont
University alum and has maintained her loyalties.
“I’m rooting for my alma mater,” she said.
“They’re a long shot. I don’t expect them to win
but it’s about school spirit.”
A long shot indeed. Only four No. 15 seeds have upset a No. 2
seed in 84 games since the NCAA Tournament changed to the 64-team
format in 1985. However, some Belmont fans think their team can be
one of them.
“We’re going to fight to win and we’re
prepared to see them win,” Edwards said. “They are
expecting to win.”