Capitalize on watching CMU sports for free
Let me be one of the first to welcome you to Central Michigan University, more specifically, our sports community. Finding a constant throughout your college career may be tricky. Let me throw out an idea for you: support CMU sports.
The Chippewas are represented across 16 varsity sports and a plethora of club sports. After everything surrounding the pandemic last year, students and fans were not allowed for a majority of last season's athletic action. This year is different, and there’s a lot of excitement around nearly every sport.
After a 3-3 season in 2020, CMU Football looks to capture its second Mid-American Conference West Division Championship in three seasons. Behind defensive stalwarts like Troy Hairston II and Troy Brown coupled with Kalil Pimpleton, Kobe Lewis and Lew Nichols III on offense, the Chippewas will be a fun team to watch at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
After going 32-20 in its past two seasons, CMU Volleyball continues to reach new heights in its quest for a MAC Title and first outright division crown since 2003. Chippewa women’s soccer has finished no worse than .500 since 2019. Under third-year head coach Jeremy Groves, the Chippewas look to continue to grow and clinch a berth in the MAC Tournament.
After a winless campaign in 2017, Chippewa Field Hockey has shown growth throughout the last three seasons. Will this be the year that CMU earns its first winning MAC record since 2014?
All of those questions will be answered in the fall, and there’s plenty more to see as a student in the winter.
CMU Men’s Basketball begins a new era under coach Tony Barbee after a disappointing 2020-21 season that saw the Chippewas finish with their worst record since 2013. Meanwhile, CMU Women’s Basketball looks to remain on top of the MAC despite losing three key seniors, including Micaela Kelly, the program’s all-time leading scorer.
Chippewa Wrestling returns three dynamic wrestlers in Drew Hildebrandt, Dresden Simon and Matt Stencel. Not only is the trio frontrunners to win the MAC in their respective weight classes, but will shatter program records en route to becoming national champion contenders.
CMU Gymnastics has been consistently dominant since 1990, claiming 15 MAC Titles in that stretch. After a fourth place finish in 2021, the Chippewas look to recapture their spot a top the conference.
Then we shift to spring sports.
After winning its second straight MAC Championship, CMU Baseball brings back Andrew Taylor, the reigning national freshman Pitcher of the Year, and Jordan Patty, who threw a no-hitter against Miami (Ohio) in 2021. CMU Softball continues to grow under McCall Salmon’s second full season as head coach.
CMU Lacrosse came within reaching distance of the sports inaugural MAC Title. The program enjoyed their best season since the team's inception in 2016.
CMU offers three club hockey teams (two men's, one women's), rugby, quidditch and many other sports to watch.
The best part of all: every one of these games are free to students with their student I.D.s
Free Division I sports, let that sink in.
Walmart Wolverine fans have to fork over hundreds of dollars for football season tickets in Ann Arbor. The price tag to be in the “Izzone” is way too high for a broke college student like me to afford.
We, as CMU students, get to enjoy free sports in one of the country’s wildest and unpredictable conferences in the nation. So, why not make CMU sports a staple of your college experience?
From someone who’s been around campus, I urge you to support CMU sports. Capitalize on enjoying free sports, attend at least one game. The memories and friends you will make along the way will be irreplaceable.
