I am a new Nanook. It happened three weeks ago. Not a big deal to you, I know. But to me, it was a big change.

Sure, I grew up in North Pole and rooted for UAF in my youth. But things changed seven years ago when I moved to Anchorage to attend the University of Alaska Anchorage. From then on I was a Seawolf, bleeding green and gold and shunning my Interior roots.

That was until I moved back to Fairbanks and got a job with the Alaska Nanook Sports Information Department. (And if you're wondering, despite my Seawolf past, I honestly think that if anyone deserves the Alaska-only moniker, it's the Nanooks.)

Now I'm a solid Nanook supporter and take a lot of pride in the university and athletics.

Sitting high in the Carlson Center, I was amazed by the amount of fan support at the Air Force series to open the hockey season. And it only got better when the Seawolves came to town. In past years, I was impressed by the atmosphere at the Patty Center for men's basketball games when I was in town.

But it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows since I've been back. The attendance at women's volleyball games has been atrocious. We average 177 fans per game.

The fans that have been at the Patty have been excellent. But your Nanook spikers could use more support. If you don't think that fan support matters out there, you're wrong.

Two weeks ago in Anchorage, a crowd of 581 Seawolf fans turned out to help UAA defeat our Nanooks. The Seawolves have only one other conference win this year, yet still average around 500 fans a home match. UAA routinely ranks in the top 10 of Division II volleyball attendance.

The crowd on hand for the Nanook match, particularly the student section, was hostile and rowdy. And that's the way it should be in the Patty. You have one more shot to do it.

UAF Chancellor Steve Jones, Athletic Director Forrest Karr and the Nanook Athletic Department want to help pack the Patty on Nov. 4. They've waived the cost of attendance for UAF students and will also have some giveaways during the game. Everything has fallen into place to make Nov. 4 a special night.

It's Senior Night for the Nanooks, a showdown with our in-state rival Seawolves and a chance to show the state why we are the Alaska Nanooks and they are UAA.