Women’s volleyball venues create different in-game atmospheres

Located right in the heart of campus, Pauley Pavilion is an athletic palace, a 50-year-old landmark synonymous with UCLA’s rich athletic history.

Constructed after the first of John Wooden’s 10 national titles, the storied arena has also played host to two of the women’s volleyball program’s four national championship victories.

Today, the volleyball team plays its most prominent matches in Pauley. But junior outside hitter Claire Felix said the team receives more rabid fan support in matches at Collins Court.

“I love playing in Collins Court because it is just a crazy environment every time we play,” said Felix. “We have little kids screaming and stomping their feet. We have parents and fans supporting us. It’s a really great environment because it feels like you are immersed in the community here.”

Less than 500 feet from Pauley, in the John Wooden Center, Collins is a modest gym that seems more fitting for a high school program than a Division I powerhouse.

With a capacity of fewer than 2,000, Collins creates a much more intimate environment than Pauley. The fans are right above the players in a manner that allows them to have a greater impact on the game.

Pauley, on the other hand, is quite a bit larger than its volleyball co-host, in size as well as pedigree. With a maximum capacity a shade under 14,000, it presents both a blessing and a curse for those attending. Although the building can accommodate more people, its size also depresses the impact of the crowd.

“Pauley is just bigger. Bigger lights, bigger screens. It’s not as condensed as Collins,” said sophomore outside hitter Reily Buechler. “In Collins we had so many fans and there was so much cheering that it is a totally different environment. With the screaming you get in (Collins), Pauley is relatively quiet, so you gotta get the energy from ourselves.”

In order to accommodate larger crowds, the team often schedules matches against top opponents in Pauley. Indeed, the Bruins have drawn twice as many fans per match at Pauley as they have at Collins.

Looking at the raw numbers for attendance, however, does not tell the whole story. Accounting for the maximum capacities of both venues, the seemingly meager Collins Court average attendance of 874 people per game the past two years would be roughly the equivalent of nearly 6,700 people per game at Pauley.

“There is a huge difference between playing in Pauley and Collins,” Felix said. “In Pauley, you can have 4,000 fans and it is pretty quiet, but in Collins, you can have 4,000 fans and it is packed and absolutely crazy.”

It’s a small sample size, but No. 10 UCLA has fared poorly in the Pavilion thus far, with a record of 1-2 this year that includes straight-set thumpings at the hands of No. 1 USC and No. 4 Washington. The Bruins are 3-1 at Collins, albeit against weaker competition.

Compiled by Amit Nainani, Bruin Sports contributor.