Oozeball

25 years of Filthy Fun

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of Oozeball. Many UConn students have come to anticipate the tournament with excitement, whether because of the prize ($300 dollars for first place!) or for the sense of accomplishment and community that comes from competing in a massive mud pit. For all of the talk that goes around Oozeball and Spring Weekend, one might wonder, where did it come from and just who is responsible for this successful event year after year?

In 1983, the Student Alumni Association sponsored the first Oozeball Tournament at the University of Connecticut, and have been hard at work to make Oozeball a fun and exciting event every Spring Weekend since. A team called the Pounders won that very first game, leading the way for future teams determined to earn the title of Oozeball champs.

Over the years, Oozeball has gained a lot of publicity, and have had faculty, staff and students alike clamoring to participate in the action.

In 1986, student received a surprise when then college President John DiBiaggio showed up for Oozeball in a Jonathan the Husky mascot costume and proceeded to join in with all the muddy fun. In 2005, an administrative team including Vice President for Student Affairs John Saddlemire, Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs Julie Bell Elkins, Community Standards Specialist Donta Johnson, Area Coordinator Alisa Gellar and Director of Alcohol & Other Drugs Education Tom Szigethy sloshed through the rain and mud to fight for the chance to be Oozeball champions. Each year over 1,000 players and spectators come to both participate and watch the event. It is a fantastic program and one that the community UConn definitely deserves to be proud of.

What is Oozeball all about?

• Renowned by Sport’s Illustrated as one of 100 things to do before you graduate, Oozeball is a mud volleyball tournament played in eight inches of mud.
• UConn’s Oozeball has been recognized as not only the longest running tournament of its kind, but the best mud volleyball in the country.
• All participants for Oozeball receive a free official tournament t-shirt, a free team photo, free sponsorship products and the chance to win the Grand Prize of 300 dollars!

While the Student Alumni Association are the sole event planners behind Oozeball, their contribution to the UConn community extends far beyond mud-spattered programs. The students that are involved in SAA are also responsible for everything from Operation Santa Claus to distributing care packages for UConn students. Anyone interested in becoming a part of the association can visit http://www.uconnalumni.com/saa/ for more info.

- The Spring Weekend Committee