When Iowa State’s Student Advisory Group met with Athletic Director Jamie Pollard recently to debrief athletic attendance, they came across an interesting discovery: 28 students had attended every men’s basketball game during the 2017-18 season. 

The advisory group then came up with an idea to reward these dedicated fans for having perfect attendance during a 13-18 rebuilding season, the Cyclones’ worst record since a 12-19 season in 2001-02. 

Why not reach out to each of them and offer them student season tickets for the following year’s athletic events? 

Pollard thought it was a great idea. 

“It would be neat to promote [student attendance],” Pollard said. 

Pollard sent emails to all 28 students who achieved perfect attendance, and at time of writing he said that he’d received responses from one-third of them. 

Six of the students who attended every game were seniors, so instead Pollard offered to give those students men’s basketball season tickets unless they were graduate students. 

Pollard said that the students were “fired up” when they heard they were going to be rewarded for their commitment to the program. 

The advisory group and athletic department are coming together to plan a celebration to honor the students, but Pollard said it was too early to tell what exactly that celebration was. 

“Twenty-eight students made a huge commitment,” Pollard said. “We appreciate their dedication to Iowa State athletics.”

Reporting for this story was contributed by Brian Mozey.