New Student Orientation hosts Mud Volleyball

By Aaron Thomas

Photo courtesty of Shooka Dalilak
“The Filthy Few” after winning the tournament on Sunday, Aug. 23 in the Tanana parking lot.

New Student Orientation hosts Mud Volleyball There will be mud! Last Sunday, new student orientation leaders in collaboration with Nanook Recreation hosted a mud volleyball tournament in the Tanana parking lot. Eight teams of students faced off in a battle for the winning title. The tournament also had a complimentary barbecue and other field games such as spikeball for students to enjoy. 

Mark Oldmixon, the Director of Nanook Recreation, said that the event is starting to become “a little bit more of an annual tradition.” “We definitely have some students that are returning because they won last year and they wanted to defend their champion," said Oldmixon.

“Hopefully that new student that doesn't have a strong friend network, they've shown up, they've joined up with a team, they're making five new friends, and that friendship continues," said Oldmixon.

Beyond making new friends, mud volleyball also connects new students with the broader student recreation community.

Eight teams got down and dirty during the 2026 mud volleyball tournament in the Tanana parking lot across from the Student Recreation Center on Aug. 23.

“It's a glimpse into intramurals,” said Oldmixon. Oldmixon hopes that orientation games like mud volleyball can introduce students to the variety of intramural sports that are available.

Though the event is now known as a fall tradition, its first iterations were during Springfest. “My first three years it used to be part of Springfest, and every year because the semester got finished a little bit earlier than previous years, the ground would be frozen and we couldn't do the event,” said Chris McComb, the Assistant Director of Wellness at Nanook Recreation. 

McComb said that after three unsuccessful years, they moved the event to fall where it has continued since.

Elliot Costello, a New Student Orientation Office Coordinator, said he was impressed with the turnout and the active role that student leaders had in planning and executing the event. “So much of our success is owed to them. They should be proud of what they've been able to accomplish this year,” said Costello.

“The Filthy Few” claimed the victory after defeating the other teams in the bracket.