Wichita, Kan. - Approximately 5,000 black and yellow clad
Shocker fans greeted the 2011 NIT men's basketball champions at Charles Koch
Arena on Friday afternoon.
Wichita State fresh off of a 66-57, Thursday night win
against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Madison Square Garden in New York City
arrived back to campus with a police escort from Wichita Mid-Continent Airport
to a great a large and excited crowd of Shockers fans.
The crowd enjoyed hearing from Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer,
Wichita State Athletic Director Dr. Eric Sexton, head coach Gregg Marshall and
the seniors on the team.
"We can not say enough how proud we were last night watching
our team get the victory," Brewer said.
"It meant so much to Wichita and Wichita State, and it put us on the map
for all the people watching on ESPN."
Next up was Wichita State Athletic Director Eric Sexton who
thanked the fans.
"Thank you for a great season and for all of your support,
you were our sixth-, seventh- and eighth-man all season long Shocker nation," Sexton
said.
Marshall was next with the microphone and he thanked
everyone that helped make this a magical and successful season.
"There is no way we can do what we did this season without
all of you," Marshall told the crowd.
"29 wins is phenomenal and we have the best fans in the world and we
definitely had the most fans at both games at Madison Square Garden."
The noise level hit maximum volume in the arena when senior
forward and the NIT Most Valuable Player Graham Hatch thanked the crowd for all
their support during the NIT and his career.
"You helped make a memory for me and my teammates that will
last a lifetime," Hatch said. "We
go on the road to other arenas and there is no comparison to what you bring to
all of our games and thank you very much!"
- Wichita State -
