URI’s ‘messiest tradition’ returns after two year hiatus
Oozeball is back! After a two-year hiatus, the local tradition started in the 90s will bring back a friendly and messy competition amongst students. PHOTO CREDIT: uri.edu
Oozeball, a University of Rhode Island tradition, is returning to campus for its 30th anniversary on April 24.
First started in 1990, this single-elimination volleyball tournament is played in a foot of mud and offered to URI students and alumni.
Oozeball is sponsored by URI’s Student Alumni Association and funded by the Foundation and Alumni Engagement Team. Due to past COVID-19 restrictions on campus, the event hasn’t happened since 2019.
Kassie Patatanes ‘18, now the program manager for URI’s Foundation and Alumni Engagement, has her own memories of Oozeball from her freshman year as a student at URI.
“The field is oozing with mud and you can’t help but get dirty when you show up,” Patatanes said.
Sarah Gallo, the current graduate assistant for URI’s Foundation and Alumni Engagement, also partook in Oozeball during her time as a student. Gallo graduated from the University in 2020 and played Oozeball in 2017.
“It was the first time I’ve really felt true Rhody spirit from an event,” Gallo said. “There were so many people attending.”
The preparation of the fields requires many hands on deck. The event takes place on the field across from the Plains Road parking lot. According to Patatanes, a farmer is booked to plow the fields and the local fire department arrives the morning of the event to soak the fields and make them muddy. Local police also monitor the entire event.
Volleyball nets are set up, and, according to Patatanes, typically 1,000 students and alumni register to play Oozeball.
Students have not been offered Oozeball for two years, so the majority of underclassmen don’t know of the event. However, Patatanes and her team have been working to spread the word about the event and upperclassmen have spread the word as well.
“News travels by word of mouth at URI,” Patatanes said.
According to Patatanes, their goal for registrants is 700 and she and her group have made promotional videos and emails incorporating the old-western theme “The Wild Wild Ooze.” The face of the theme is URI’s mascot, Rhody the Ram, on a wanted poster. According to Gallo, Rhody himself will also be attending.
The University of Rhode Island’s YouTube channel also features footage of Oozeball events from years past.
“Having the memories and pictures last us, still, to this day really was a great part of the event,” Gallo said.
According to Patatanes, she and her team are planning to have a food truck, a pie-eating contest, a DJ and donated food and drinks at the event. Patatanes said there will be plenty of activities offered to entertain students who prefer not to play. If students don’t register, they can watch for free.
Registration is $15 per teammate. Teams are capped off at six people, but students can register with less people or even by themselves. Registrants will be merged into teams of six when necessary.
Patatanes recommends students to prepare for a mess. Participants should wear clothes and shoes they don’t care to ruin.
“Oozeball is a very messy URI tradition,” Patatanes said.
She also reminded students to visit the duct-taping booth before playing so their shoes don’t fall off in the mud.
Also, students don’t need to worry about the muddy mess they’d have to bring home with them. As a part of the tradition, the fire department hoses off students who need it.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, large campus events like Oozeball have not been offered in the past two years. In light of restrictions lowering, including wearing masks indoors, events like Oozeball are finally beginning to return to campus.
“It’s gonna bring a lot of school spirit back that I think has been lost in translation when everyone was remote,” Patatanes said.
Patatanes and her team are continually looking for students to get involved in the event. The registration deadline to play is Friday, April 15. Students can contact Patatanes for more information through her email, [email protected], for any questions or concerns.