Marshall sports: Fans get up close and personal with Herd athletes

"It's awesome to see everyone come out in support," volleyball player Bella Thompson said. "People are interacting with Marco, the football team, volleyball and everyone else. It's just really cool to see people come out, and even cooler when they look at the schedule on the poster, point to a home game and say they'll be there."

Thompson is no stranger to the Thundering Herd, but many Marshall athletes got their first dose of the Herd fan base Saturday. Ryan Crisp, Marshall's associate athletic director for annual giving, ticket sales and fan engagement, said connecting those who are new to Huntington and the Herd is an important step in building support.

"It's important for our community to meet athletes and have that connection with them," Crisp said. "People might not know a lot of the athletes performing in different sports this year, so it's nice to put a face with a name when you meet someone for the first time."

Braxton, one of the Marshall newcomers, took that to heart, even asking some fans where their seats would be for the football Herd's home opener on Aug. 31 at the Joan.

Along with signing autographs for fans, various outdoor games and competitions took place on the football field, like cornhole, volleyball and soccer skills challenges and inflatables, each part pointing back to the goal of building relationships that breaks down the walls that sometimes separate fans and athletes at the college level.

"A lot of places I've been, there have been rivalries and passionate fans, but I've never been to a place where the community and the university are so intertwined," said Herd football coach Charles Huff, who has been in the business for more than two decades. "This will be the first time some of our guys get to feel this community, from a fan standpoint, and I think that goes a long way into helping them realize the importance of things like the '75' game and how what we do on Saturdays means something to the community."