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DAYTON BAND MARCHES INTO MARCH MADNESS
March 16, 2007 There's a reason why the Flyer Pep Band calls themselves "the best damn pep band in the land." Led by Dr. Willie Morris, the Flyer Pep Band assisted the Purple Eagle fans by serving as the Niagara University pep band during Tuesday's NCAA Opening Round game. NCAASports.com uploaded a video on its homepage to showcase the Flyer Pep Band's spirit for Niagara. Even though the NCAA had designated Florida A&M as the white-shirted "home" team, Niagara had gone to great lengths to ensure itself a decisive home-court advantage. In addition to bringing busloads of students from its campus 400 miles away, the Flyer pep band dressed up in purple, learned the Niagara fight song and led a pep rally with Purple Eagle fans. During the game the Flyer pep band helped a crowd of more than 100 Niagara fans warm up for the game, performed the national anthem and led cheers throughout the contest. This is the second time the Dayton students assisted Niagara in its musical efforts. When the Purple Eagles played in the National Invitational Tournament in 2004, Dayton's pep band offered to perform at the game during its down time from the Flyers' NCAA Tournament game that same weekend at HSBC Arena in Buffalo. For the sixth year in a row, the NCAA Tournament began in Dayton with the opening round. With the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Opening Round games returning to Dayton, the Flyer Faithful has at least three more chances to showcase it's passion for the game of college basketball. That passion was reflected on Tuesday when more than 8,200 fans filled the Arena for the Florida A&M/Niagara contest. Fans showcased signs that read "GO 64 SEED" and "GO 65 SEED" and cheered all throughout Niagara's 77-69 victory. The appreciation of Dayton's hospitality and the Flyer Pep Band even trickled down not to Niagara, but to Florida A&M as well. "Just want to thank the University of Dayton, the city of Dayton for hosting this event," Florida A&M Head Coach Mike Gillespie Sr. said on Monday. "We are very excited to be here...the hospitality we have starting with the hotel, throughout this entire town is a blessing for us. Like I said, we are extremely excited to play." For more information on the Flyer Pep Band, click on the link to their official website: |
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