Above: SAU Pep Band members (left to right) Amanda Beuth, Lauren Swartzendruber, and Hannah Greif pose for a picture at the Vibrant Arena. Photo courtesy of Hannah Greif.

Basketball fans go wild as the ball swishes through the hoop. SAU Director, Dr. Golden Lund strikes up the Fighting Bee Pep Band. But wait, the team that just scored is wearing brown and gold, and hails from Indiana, not Davenport, Iowa. 

Valparaiso University, located in north central Indiana, had no pep band to accompany them to the Hoops in The Heartland women’s basketball tournament in Moline, Illinois. Each team was required to bring a pep band with them, and Valpo’s pep band was on spring break.

In Valparaiso’s hour of need, the Fighting Bee Pep Band donned their new brown and gold shirts and learned the Valparaiso fight song just a few days in advance to represent the Beacons well at the Vibrant Arena in Moline. 

Fortunately, the SAU band was able to make the event a success even on short notice. “The turnaround was fast for us,” said Megan Hobbs, SAU director of athletic bands, “Typically we require more notice to attend an event, but we wanted to prioritize this opportunity. We already have an extensive playlist set for pep band, so we were prepared on that front; the only thing we needed to do was learn the Valparaiso fight song!”

Hailing from a small, private university, the pep band doesn’t often get to play in a large stadium- let alone be a part of a televised event. 

“Playing in a professional arena was a cool opportunity for us! Being in the early stages of the tournament, the game was not very highly attended, but that didn’t seem to impact our experience at all. As Golden (Lund) was conducting and as the band was loading out, I received many compliments on the quality and energy of the band,” Hobbs said.

Click here to watch Inside SAU Athletics, Fighting Bee Band edition!

It wasn’t just the directors who enjoyed the experience. SAU sophomore and clarinet player, Lauren Swartzendruber, spoke about the high-energy environment of the Valpo basketball game. 

“The Valpo game was so much fun! The pep band brought a ton of energy which made for a great atmosphere. It was so cool being able to help out and support another school.”

Senior mellophone player, Andrew Wirth said, “I think that the experience was great. It was really cool to play in a big stadium or arena even if it wasn’t for our own team. Even when the place isn’t filled there is a strong energy that gets you ready for a good game.”

Hobbs stressed how important it was that the band got to make an impact on a new audience. “I always love any opportunity to expand our community reach and encourage healthy relationships between programs. I know students re-arranged plans to make this happen, but overall it was an incredibly positive experience! The Valparaiso president even came over to thank the band, and their team expressed interest in having us back in the future.”

According to Valpo Athletics, “The 10th-seeded Valpo women’s basketball team got out to a strong start to its first-round matchup against seventh-seeded UIC in the opening round of Hoops in the Heartland Thursday evening in Moline, Ill., leading by as many as 13 points, but the Flames rallied to edge the Beacons, 79-77, and end Valpo’s season.”

Despite Valpo’s defeat, the Fighting Bee Pep Band showed up for the Beacons in their signature style: with class, energy, and dedication to making the game a good experience for all.