12A — Wednesday, August 31, 2022 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com JOHN TONDORA Daily Sports Writer At Michigan — as anybody will tell you — the Wolverines are famous for game days. From the fanfare, to the tailgates, Ann Arbor bleeds Maize and Blue. And at the University of Michi- gan, game days aren’t just on Satur- days in the fall. No, this isn’t a cliche about bring- ing your A-Game in class every day — although, you should probably do that. This is a message telling you that in addition to each electrifying sold-out game at the Big House on Saturdays, there are dozens more games played during the same week. And with the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX on June 23, the sports- loving student body of Michigan needs your help! Because in Ann Arbor, every sport deserves the overwhelming amount of love and attendance that the football pro- Sports Letter to freshmen: you can be the new generation of Michigan fans that value women’s sports The Official Merchandise Retailer of Michigan Athletics The M Den on Campus 303 South State Street Ann Arbor The Victors Collection by The M Den 307 South State Street Ann Arbor The M Den on Main Street Ann Arbor The M Den 12 Oaks Mall Novi The M Den in and around the Stadium on game day The M Den in Crisler Center – 2 locations The M Den The Victors Collection by The M Den Briarwood Mall Ann Arbor The M Den The Victors Collection by The M Den 55 Columbia Street Detroit Start the school year right, in the coolest Wolverine clothes and accessories. As the official retailer of Michigan Athletics, The M Den is your #1 source for Michigan sportswear from all the finest brands—including lululemon. Check out the all-new line of lululemon workout gear, yoga wear, undergarments and more—so you can always find your flow in the midst of the excitement. Plus, a portion of every purchase goes to support Michigan teams. Stop into your local storefront or visit our online store at MDen.com. DAY-ONE DAY-ONE COOL FROM shop.zingermansdeli.com Stock your fridge with pickles and other Zingermanʼs goodies! use code MICHIGANDAILY and SAVE 15% this offer is only valid at shop.zingermansdeli.com (cannot be redeemed in store) coupon expires 9.30.2022 – choose pickup at the Deli or delivery in Ann Arbor ZINGERMANʼS DELICATESSEN – 422 DETROIT STREET ANN ARBOR MI 48104 – 734.663.3354 gram receives. Especially each and every one of Michigan’s talented women’s sports. The Wolverines are privileged to have 14 varsity women’s sports teams, each with a vibrant legacy and rich future of success and empowerment. Currently, Michi- gan sits atop the race for the coveted Director’s Cup, which measures school-wide athletic performance. An achievement powered by four women’s Big Ten Championships. Women’s sports at Michigan are among the most elite in the world, and as a student body, it is our duty to bring the fans, energy and respect that these teams deserve. As a new wave of incoming fresh- men, it is up to you to continue to build upon and strengthen a tradi- tion of empowering women’s sports by attending these events. And National Championship winning head coach of women’s gymnastics Bev Plocki agrees: “I think it’s about time that we sell our women’s programs the way that we have our men’s programs for decades,” Plocki said. “And we showed for the first time this year that we could sell out Crisler Arena with a 12,707 attendance when we (hosted) Auburn.” And that’s the truth. With every passing season, wom- en’s sports at Michigan vault into greater heights and cement what it means to be a Wolverine. Selling out Crisler Arena is just the beginning of what this new era for women’s sports can entail — a new era, pow- ered by you freshmen. This is an opportunity which women’s soccer coach Jen Klein sees as ready for the taking. “I think the thing for us that we need to keep doing is to just keep fighting the good fight,” Klein said. “And not say, ‘oh, we did it once,’ like no, let’s do it. You know, every week- end, every season. And continue to push it to make it as great as it can be.” With the help of you, the incom- ing freshmen, the sky’s the limit for what women’s sports can reach. When you attend these events, not only are you empowering these ath- letes, but you are empowering your fellow students. With 72 Academic All-Big Ten Honoree women in the Fall of 2021 alone, these athletes are more than just world-class competitors — they are your classmates, as well. “It’s especially important and special when it’s peer to peer,” Plocki said. “When it’s our athletes, their peers and fellow students at the University of Michigan, it’s not just mom and dad and grandma and some friends.” And although bringing mom, dad, grandma and anyone else to these games is more than welcome, when the student section is filled, the atmosphere is just different. “It’s amazing, and it just makes our athletes feel important and spe- cial and really energized,” Plocki continued. Moreover, as a wave of incoming freshmen, your commitment to sup- porting women’s sports will help honor the humble beginnings of Michigan women’s athletics. From the six varsity sports that began in the fall of 1973 to the 14 varsity pro- grams in 2022, Michigan has come a long way. But there is still work to be done — work that you can help with. As much as Michigan athlet- ics has taken steps to increase the equity between men’s and women’s sports — from marketing to atten- dance and beyond — the onus is on students to make those steps pay off. Through attending women’s sport- ing events, you do more than simply enjoy the thrill and rush of an amaz- ing game. You support women’s sports. And you prove to Michigan athletics that women’s programs already — and will continue to — deserve the funding, exposure, mar- keting and investment that men’s sports have received for decades. “The reality is, sports are draw- ing (attendance) because of energy and the resources that you put into them,” Plocki said. “And if you put the same energy and resources into the women, I think it would be very interesting to see what the women really have the capability of doing.” With the help of you, the incoming freshmen, the sky’s the limit for what women’s sports can reach. JULIA SCHACHINGER/Daily