The Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaps do not play in the Division II NCAA Championship game until April 4, but the excitement continues to grow ahead of the game.
“Obviously, it’s good to get LCU’s name out there, and for people to recognize it nationally, but I think for us, it’s more important and we’re more excited about being able to tell our story on a broader level,” Shannon Sudduth, media relations for LCU said.
Friday evening, the bus carrying LCU fans to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, returned to campus. 30 fans were on the bus for about 30 hours this week to make the trip. In total, LCU said they had about 130 fans at the games in Sioux Falls.
“It was long, but very, very worth it. Anytime you can win and be one of the two teams left in the nation, then it’s a good day, we would take the trip, in fact, we’re taking another trip next week,” Kim Wheeler said.
Wheeler said she’s going to make the trip to Indianapolis, Indiana to watch the championship game in person as well.
All season long, fans have been supporting the Lady Chaps, and it has not gone unnoticed by Coach Steve Gomez.
“Thank those that went, thank those that didn’t go,” Gomez said.
“We’ve had a lot of people around Lubbock who have been at watch parties, who are constantly sending messages, who are social media supporting us, so just the whole community, not only LCU, obviously it’s been huge, but just the town of Lubbock and the surrounding cities have been really bought in to what’s going on here and that’s really been a great support for us,” Gomez said.
Sudduth said the school plans to host a watch party on campus on April 4 in the Rip Griffin Center for those who don’t make the trip.
