5 Things To Know About Oozeball

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Posted on April 19, 2023

Thomas Becnel

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The 33rd annual mud volleyball tournament, better known as Oozeball, will return to the University of South Alabama on Saturday, April 22. Games start at 9 a.m. next to the Football Field House. Spectators are welcome.

1. More than 30 co-ed teams play each year. Students serve, spike and splash through outdoor volleyball courts covered with a foot of mud and water. There are faculty and community teams, too.
2. The annual tournament is a fundraiser for the Southerners ambassador program. Over the last decade, it has contributed more than $25,000 for their Spotting Excellence Scholarship. Sponsors and vendors support the cause.
3. The first Oozeball tournament at South was in 1988. Carol Kittrell, former executive director of the USA National Alumni Association, got the idea at an academic conference. 
4. Shoes are required, for safety reasons. Players are advised to duct-tape old sneakers to their feet, to keep them from slipping off in the muck. Team names include everything from “Muddy Buddies” to “Serv-ivors.”
5. Oozeball remains popular. “We’re one of the longest running tournaments in the country, and the second longest running philanthropy event on campus” said Matthew Brannan, the advisor for the Southerners. “Everybody loves mud.”

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