Where's the hype for the Shore's D1 basketball team, UMES?

Walking out of the Xfinity Center following the Maryland Terrapins’ men’s basketball game on Sunday night, excitement and a sense of dominance filled the air, as Terps’ fans emptied the arena discussing the massive victory Maryland had just achieved.

“Our boys looked good,” one fan exclaimed.

“I think we’re going to be pretty solid this season,” another echoed.

But these conversations were not being held by the college students who normally fill the stands at a Maryland basketball game. Instead, they were had by parents, workers and residents who live in the College Park area.

These people don’t take classes at the University of Maryland College Park, nor do they have anything to do with the campus in general, but when it comes to Maryland athletics, these fans bleed the Maryland colors.

It’s the pride for their hometown team, a Division I institution that faces some of the best colleges in the country in nearly every sport offered.

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But as I walked out of Xfinity Center myself, listening to these passionate fans rave about their favorite college team, I couldn’t help but wonder where the excitement was for the Shore’s Division I basketball team — the UMES Hawks, located right in our backyard.

UMES was the team facing off against Maryland on Tuesday night, resulting in a 96-43 blowout to its in-state counterpart.

As expected for an away game, the cheers were silent and the applause came rarely when a Hawks’ player would score, but as I watched the thousands of fans scream for the Terps, I couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Where’s the hype for the Hawks?’

Of course, UMES wasn’t going to mirror the same noise produced from the Maryland fan section — I mean the number of students at Maryland is nearly 10 times more than the entire Princess Anne population.

But with Salisbury, Fruitland and the entire Eastern Shore as the home for the Hawks, one would think the hype for a Division I basketball team would be far greater than what it’s been in seasons past.

I’ve compiled the top three reasons why the hype has been lacking for one of the most talented teams on the Shore and how it could improve.

The more fans turn out to root on the Shore’s team, the more dominant the Hawks will become in Division I.

Lack of local talent

One way to build up the fan base in a small area is to bring in players whom fans already know.

The Shore is filled with talented basketball players who have signed with Division I schools, including stars like Kory Holden, Jorden Duffy, Keve Aluma and several more.

Bringing in local players to a local college would attract that athlete’s family, friends, former coaches, teammates and that school’s own fan base, especially when it’s players who dominated on the high school level.

The current UMES roster does have two local guys on its squad in Bayside athletes Oliver Montraz, who played for Washington, and Colen Gaynor, who suited up for Parkside.

Gaynor’s presence could especially spark more of a local presence, as he has been one of the team’s starting guards to begin the season, primarily due to a plethora of preseason injuries.

Another big-name athlete who will soon be shooting for the maroon and gray is Decatur’s Kevon Voyles, who has been a key part of the Seahawks’ recent success. Voyles has verbally committed to UMES and has the potential to be a big part of the Hawks’ attack for the next several years.

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As more local players remain in the area, taking their talents to one of college’s highest stages, the team should develop more of a following from its hometown base.

School location

Only 16 minutes separate downtown Salisbury and UMES.

Some have longer commutes to work or school, but the location of UMES has been one of the primary causes for the lack of hype for the Hawks.

Although the university is not too far to travel for many Eastern Shore sports fans, the lack of entertainment surrounding the school is what keeps many away.

Take Salisbury University. While the Sea Gulls may be a Division III school, the campus is surrounded by restaurants, bars and entertainment facilities the public can go to after attending Salisbury sporting events.

The recent addition of M Street Grill just outside the UMES campus, a quality restaurant for students and residents to eat at and hang out in is a step in the right direction, but other than that, there’s not much more to do before or after a sporting event.

Hopefully more new and entertaining businesses will make their way to the Princess Anne area, which would ultimately result in a stronger fan base surrounding the school.

More wins will equal more fans

The Hawks are coming off one of their best seasons in recent history, advancing to the conference’s semifinal game in March.

But before last year, winning was not always a common occurrence when it came to the UMES basketball team.

Prior to the 2014-15 season, the Hawks had compiled a combined 24-95 record in the past four years. However, since current head coach Bobby Collins has taken over the team, UMES has continued to improve, establishing itself as one of the more dominant teams in the MEAC conference.

Every fan loves a winning team, so if the Hawks continue their recent trend, more and more fans should be headed for UMES each week.

The team has also produced two pro players in the last few years, including forward Bakari Copeland, who is playing in Argentina, and Devin Martin, who signed with a league in Finland.

Large amounts of talent continue to come to the Shore, and with a good mix of leadership and youth, the Hawks have the tools to finally become a strong threat throughout Maryland.

With some great and competitive basketball being played right down the street, it’s still surprising the fan support hasn’t been greater. But with the steps the Hawks and the UMES athletics department are taking, the Hawks basketball team may soon have the following it has always longed for.