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 If you consider yourself a Valparaiso sports fan and you weren't in the crowd during Sunday's home opener against the Michigan women's soccer team, then you truly missed out on a great atmosphere.

While soccer might still be struggling to catch on in the United States, there is no question that footie is alive and well on Valparaiso's campus.

Sunday afternoon was like a Who's Who in Valparaiso athletics. Upon arrival, I saw the men's soccer team gathering in a pack, and when I say gathering, I mean it. Coach Mike Avery has more than 40 players on his roster this season. The team jogged down and set up shop behind the Michigan goalie and kept a steady stream of cheers going throughout the first half. The energy of the men's team seemed to ignite the Crusaders in the early going as senior Jessie White ripped off a shot right in front of the crowd that found the head of freshman Rachel Hoaglin and then the back of the net in the sixth minute of the game.  

White told me after the match that part of the reason she took the shot was because of the energy she was feeling from the crowd.

Plenty of the VU athletic "celebs" were in attendance for the first official contest of the season for any team. Women's basketball coach Keith Freeman was marveling at the potential of the freshmen on the field while holding court with his own freshmen class of Skyler Gick, Laura Richards, Gina Lange and Raegan Moore.

The men's basketball team had a strong showing as junior Mike Rogers and sophomore Cameron Witt brought a large number of their new teammates including the recently-arrived Ryan Broekhoff (who looks smaller than I thought he would) and Brandon Wood (who looks bigger than I thought he would). Rogers is quite the soccer fan and he could be heard offering strategy throughout the match.

Former women's soccer coach Stephen Anthony was on hand with all 12 members of the new VU women's bowling team which he will coach this season.

I've never looked at attendance figures for the soccer teams before, but I have to think that the 617 that showed up on Sunday was easily a school-record. Sure, a lot of it had to do with the opponent being Michigan and it being the first time that many of the students in the crowd had seen each other all summer, but coach John Marovich was on cloud nine after the match.

"This was clearly the best atmosphere that we've ever had at a Valparaiso soccer match," Marovich said.

The Crusaders may have lost on the scoreboard, but they certainly won over the fans.

Valparaiso's next home match is on Friday against Northern Illinois at 4 p.m.