The Vicious Vikes look to bring a new experience for students attending sporting events
The Vicious Vikes are back, and no, they're not vicious. CSU students started the club in 2019 to support the school's athletes. The club was just getting off the ground and growing its base when COVID-19 hit and students were not permitted at sporting events anymore.
With fans now back, the Vicious Vikes are looking for recruits to expand and bring an extra level of support and excitement to the university's athletic events.
Their goal is to enhance the team’s play during live events at Cleveland State. They want their opponents to hear them and feel the arena shaking when they are in their presence. Most importantly, they want those in their club to enjoy the experience.
“I think the biggest part of it is student involvement,” Ericka Laboy, treasurer of the Vicious Vikes said. “I feel like student morale around here is just very low. I feel like the Vicious Vikes is going to help bring the CSU community together, and tie in that with sports and make sports a bigger thing at Cleveland State.”
Attending sporting events is one of the many things students can do on campus but COVID took that away last year. This year is going to allow students to meet up and enjoy their favorite teams. It doesn’t matter if it’s soccer or lacrosse at Krenzler field, volleyball at the Wooding gym, or basketball at the Wolstein Center, the Vikings student section will be heard loud and clear.
BreAja Morgan, president of the Vicious Vikes, believes the club can help heal the campus.
“I feel like this can bring students together as one. Since COVID hit, it was a ghost town here on campus,” Morgan said. “I feel like the Vicious Vikes can bring everyone back together and have our community back.”
Sporting events are just not all about the sports, it’s about the overall experience. The Vicious Vikes understand that and that’s why they are planning themes, giveaways, prizes and more surprises during the fall semester and beyond.
“Holding big events, having great prizes and showing how much fun we have,” Laboy said of what’s in store this season. “Traveling is becoming the talk of the town, possibly going to Duke.”
The club looks to make this trip when Cleveland State men’s basketball plays the Blue Devils on Dec. 18 in a much-anticipated non-conference match-up.
Vicious Vikes wants to have tailgating for basketball games, a movie night at the Wolstein Center, and black and white out themes for upcoming games this season.
Upcoming events that the Vicious Vikes highlighted in partnership with Cleveland State athletics are swimming and diving on Oct. 22 with the first 100 fans in attendance receiving a free CSU shirt and volleyball on Oct. 23 for a free Pink CSU shirt for Cancer Awareness.
If you want to join the Vicious Vikes just head to one of those sporting events or join the organization through Vikes Connect to receive emails on future meetings and events.
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