After its success on the court in the last four years, the ISU volleyball team is working to achieve the same level of improvement on the sidelines.

A new student section has been created for Cyclone volleyball fans, similar to the football and basketball sections, that will allow ISU students to show their support for the team.

The Cyclones ranked 15th nationally in attendance last season, and that was without a developed student section. If the ‘CYd-Out-Crew” shapes up the way the Iowa State program hopes, the group could boost morale and attendance

“We feel like there is another level we can get to and part of that is developing a student section,” said head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “We want to put pressure on opponents, we want to create that home court advantage and student sections are a big part of that.”

Most schools in the Big 12 Conference bring that edge during home games, with rambunctious crowds that put pressure on opposing teams. While Hilton Coliseum supported 1,671 fans on average last year, an increase would make the environment even tougher on Cyclone opponents.

“You go to all the Big 12 schools and the stands are rowdy,” said senior setter Kaylee Manns. “I would say that [the development of CYd-Out-Crew} shows a lot about where our program has come.”

Known as one of the most ‘rowdy’ schools in the Big 12, Texas A&M traditionally draws a large, loud crowd. Manns said the military academy at A&M often leads the chants and the students are always on their feet during matches at Reed Arena.

“Most of the students routinely gather in the same general admission sections,” said Texas A&M Assistant Sports Information director Debbie Darrah. “They typically stand the entire match, so if you plan on sitting you don’t want to be sitting near the students.”

Even without ISU’s newly-formed student section, the Cyclones brought in more than 100 fans per night than the Aggies and ranked six spots higher on the national scale in the 2008 season.

Members of the newly-developed student section at Iowa State will acquire reserved seating in the low risers of sections 131-134, on the opposite side of the scorer’s table. A free T-shirt, along with meet and greets with the team, will be included for CYd-Out-Crew fans.

“One of the goals when we came here was to build a great fan base,” Johnson-Lynch said. “And having students a part of the program and getting them involved and making it a better environment to play in.”