The UCLA women’s basketball team brought home the national championship after a dominant run through the season and the tournament. And from the first tip through the final trophy hoist, members of the UCLA Marching Band were there.
“The students balance heavy academic loads with their performances” said Justin McManus, director of athletic bands and music professor at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. “They performed for the team on campus at Pauley Pavilion, at the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 in Sacramento, and at the national semifinal and championship games in Phoenix, AZ.”
Grace Kieffer, a 4th year marine biology major, clarinet player, and the band’s head of equipment operations, summed up her experience: “As a senior in the band, it was incredible to watch the UCLA women’s basketball team grow over four years and cap it off with winning the national championship in many of our last years as students at UCLA.”
Much of the band’s success can be attributed to the many hours of behind-the-scenes work that are not always visible on a television broadcast or during a halftime show. “The hard work and dedication that these students put into their craft is really unlike anything else,” said McManus. “Coach Close and the entire Women’s Basketball team have a special relationship with the band and spirit team members. It has been so special to celebrate this monumental achievement with them.”
The UCLA Marching Band performs for all home football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball games, and can often be seen at other sporting events throughout the year. This year marks the 98th year of the Solid Gold Sound.
