The spotlight hits Devlin Court and in years past, hundreds of fans roar as they hear the starting line up for the Wichita State men’s basketball team. When the spotlight dims, and the arena lights blast on, there is not an empty seat in the house. That was Charles Koch Arena five years ago.

At WSU, basketball is a way of life. Games are a place people can go to have fun and socialize. They get to be free as they scream words of encouragement and yell about the referee’s horrid call. The team feels this support.

But this year is different. Ticket sales are the lowest they’ve been in 20 years and the Shockers are getting less support from fans.

Despite how other fans may feel, Shocker alumni Heather Marsh and Krista Weaver want the men’s basketball team to feel supported during their conference season. 

Going to the games allows for Marsh and Weaver to connect with old classmates.

To help the players feel at ease, Marsh has designed posters for each player. These signs include “You just got Counciled” and “Pohto bomb.” Marsh has also printed out images of basketballs and written a player’s name on each one. 

When the men are about to make an extraordinary drive down the court or a slam dunk, she gets that poster out to capture the moment. 

“We’re here to support our guys,” superfan Marsh said. “They feed off this stuff.”

Marsh and Weaver hand out signs to fans in their section, so they can interact with the players as well. Mascot Wu, caught on to the signs during the game against the UCF Knights. He joined Marsh and Weaver with his sign saying “Get Loud.” 

Weaver attends every game and is never disappointed. As she attends more games, she grows a bond with the players.

“We get to know the players and support them,” Marsh said.

Whether the Shockers are in The NCAA Tournament or lose every game, Marsh and Weaver intend to attend each home game as long as possible. 

“They just put on a great time,” said Weaver. “It’s fun and it’s like a family.”