VSU’s marching band to compete in ESPN’s 2024 National Championship
PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia State University's (VSU) marching band is set to compete in ESPN's 2024 HBCU Band of the Year National Championship this Friday. VSU announced that the Trojan Explosion Marching Band was invited to compete in ESPN's HBCU -- or Historically Black Colleges and Universities -- Band of the Year National Championship on Friday, Dec. 13 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The event will air live on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. on Friday night. "We are honored to be once again invited to compete in the ESPN HBCU Band of the Year National Championship," said Taylor Whitehead, VSU's Director of Marching and Pep Bands. "Our band has put in a lot of work this year and I am glad to see that hard work recognized. We look forward to representing Virginia State University and upholding the distinguished title as the best HBCU band in Division II." The marching band was invited to the championship after being ranked the highest Division II HBCU band in the nation for the second year in a row. According to the university, VSU's band will receive $75,000, in addition to having all expenses paid for participating in the competition event. Virginia State University's Trojan Explosion Marching Band.(Photo by: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images) "This is a remarkable achievement for our band and the Department of Music," said Tia A. Minnis, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. "These students consistently demonstrate exceptional talent as musicians and academic scholars. The entire Trojan community will be cheering them on when they take the stage in Atlanta." This will mark ESPN's second year hosting the HBCU Band of the Year Championship -- with the rankings being curated by a panel of HBCU band directors who analyze video submissions from halftime performances. The bands will be ranked by their musicianship, marching, auxiliary, drum majors and percussion.
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PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia State University's (VSU) marching band is set to compete in ESPN's 2024 HBCU Band of the Year National Championship this Friday.
VSU announced that the Trojan Explosion Marching Band was invited to compete in ESPN's HBCU -- or Historically Black Colleges and Universities -- Band of the Year National Championship on Friday, Dec. 13 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The event will air live on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. on Friday night.
"We are honored to be once again invited to compete in the ESPN HBCU Band of the Year National Championship," said Taylor Whitehead, VSU's Director of Marching and Pep Bands. "Our band has put in a lot of work this year and I am glad to see that hard work recognized. We look forward to representing Virginia State University and upholding the distinguished title as the best HBCU band in Division II."
The marching band was invited to the championship after being ranked the highest Division II HBCU band in the nation for the second year in a row.
According to the university, VSU's band will receive $75,000, in addition to having all expenses paid for participating in the competition event.
Virginia State University's Trojan Explosion Marching Band.
(Photo by: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
"This is a remarkable achievement for our band and the Department of Music," said Tia A. Minnis, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. "These students consistently demonstrate exceptional talent as musicians and academic scholars. The entire Trojan community will be cheering them on when they take the stage in Atlanta."
This will mark ESPN's second year hosting the HBCU Band of the Year Championship -- with the rankings being curated by a panel of HBCU band directors who analyze video submissions from halftime performances. The bands will be ranked by their musicianship, marching, auxiliary, drum majors and percussion.
