The RoundHouse | 9/29/2017 9:12:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop

Pat and John Conine arrived 90 minutes before Friday's volleyball match at Charles Koch Arena. That is their routine since the 1980s – sit early so they can watch warmups.
 
"We were coming when there were 50 people here," Pat Conine said. "We made more noise then because we were younger."
 
The Conines had plenty of help making noise during Wichita State's sweep of South Florida.
 
The atmosphere at Wichita State volleyball changed dramatically over the years and Friday's match represented another evolution. When announcer Ted Woodward said "Welcome our guests from Tampa, Fla.," the Shockers started the home portion of the university's first season in the American Athletic Conference.
 
The 2017-18 school year will be full of firsts for Wichita State and its fans with the new conference affiliation. While much of the anticipation will be reserved for men's basketball, Friday provided fans a chance to look at the banners representing the American schools and savor the new look for Wichita State, which departed the Missouri Valley Conference after 72 years of membership.
 
"It gives us a whole new frontier of learning and being able to accomplish more," Tom Burnham said. "I felt like we were stifled in our old conference, so I'm looking forward to new competition."
 
There will be plenty of that. WSU last played South Florida in 2005. Sunday's match vs. Central Florida is the first between the schools.

The 25th-ranked Shockers (11-3, 3-0 American) handled South Florida 25-15, 25-17, 25-10 in front of a season-high crowd of 3,119.
 
"What an amazing atmosphere," South Florida coach Courtney Draper said. "Great crowd. Really respectful, from the fans to the players to the coaching staff."
 
Draper didn't think the crowd bothered her Bulls (5-8, 0-3). Wichita State setter Emily Hiebert, however, continued to show American schools the danger that a scoring setter presents.
 
"Super impressed with the setter spreading out her offense, and also being offensive herself," Draper said. "That's not typical of a setter."
 
Hiebert finished with 11 kills, matching outside hitter Tabitha Brown and middle Abbie Lehman. Wichita State's offense consistently caught the Bulls out of position.
 
Sometimes, being in position wasn't enough for South Florida blockers. The Shockers hit .412, a high for the season.
 
"Fast and high," Draper said. "Often (the Shockers) were hitting over our block. Our block was there, but they were over us."
 
Doors to Charles Koch Arena opened at 5:30 and a line of around 30 people had formed, most on their way to SASO ice cream social. Volleyball coach Chris Lamb met with the Match Club an hour before the match.
 
"I think we'll be seeing a little better class of players, bigger schools," John Conine said. "I'm excited."
 
Del and Karen Chinn, volleyball season-ticket holders for several seasons, stopped to talk on their way to the Match Club. That type of interaction with the team and coaches is what keeps them coming back.
 
"They're accessible to the fans," Karen Chinn said. "I always like knowing the back-story to the girls. They come in as freshmen and they grow as players. And we're interested in what happens after they graduate."
 
On Monday, American commissioner Mike Aresco spoke at a pep rally to kick off Wichita State's membership. He talked about basketball, baseball and volleyball success and most of the other sports. He also talked about Wichita State's donors and fans, a group that made an impression on the conference officials as they considered the addition.
 
Friday provided a bit of proof for Aresco and the rest of the American. The Shockers remained atop the standings, the conference's lone ranked team, and drew a season-high crowd to introduce Koch Arena to a visitor.
 
"Fan support played a big key," Ken Merry said. "Wichita State is not as big a television market as some of those other schools. But our fan base is as good as any in the rest of the conference. Probably better than many."