Sports are a big part of school spirit and college culture, and NJIT is no different.

  From
the swim and track meets, to the soccer and basketball games, each event is a great way of
bringing the students of NJIT together to cheer on our athletes. Even without a football team and
their accompanying Marching Band, NJIT students still have a way to bring some Pep in the step
of the crowds of NJIT’s basketball games. Enter, the NJIT Pep Band.
Now commonplace at every NJIT Basketball Home Game and Homecoming, the Pep
Band got its humble beginnings in SOMA, the Society of Musical Arts. Founded back in 2014,
SOMA was a way of connecting and organizing all the different musical groups on campus, from
the Wind Ensemble, to the String Ensemble, to the various Acapella groups. With the music
initiative in full swing by 2016, it was clear that there was an interest in bringing music to the
crowds of the basketball games in the same vein of marching bands for football teams.
With support from the university, offering $10k for instruments, music, the pep band
came to fruition, promising to perform at the 2016 Men’s Basketball Opening game. SOMA
members Katie Coombs as Colin Pope successfully kicked off the Pep Band, starting with fifteen
committed members. Since then, Pep band has grown and has more than doubled its headcount.
Katie Coombs, Senior Biomedical Engineering Major says: “I’ve always had a passion for
music, sports and school spirit so when the opportunity presented itself to found the pep band I
jumped on board. I’m so proud of how the pep band is able to bring together musicians and
athletes at games and events on campus.”
Having made their debut at the 2016 opener, the Pep Band worked tirelessly to rehearse
and coordinate with Athletics for the 2017-2018 Season. Finally, in the 2018-2019 season, the
Pep Band was able to perform at the WEC for the kickoff of Homecoming and continued to play
for the Men’s and Women’s Basketball games. Upon attending the basketball games, crowds
can see just how the Pep Band contributes to school spirit and pride, sporting red and white
striped Rugby shirts and cheering along with the cheer leaders and dance team from the stands.
Playing classic band stand tunes, from classics like Smoke on the Water and Sweet
Caroline, to modern hits like Happy and Bad Romance, the Pep Band is sure to get people
moving and grooving. The sounds of the drums, trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and various
other instruments are bound to bring some nostalgia to members of the crowd that miss their high
school bands. Devin Romanoff, Junior Computer Science Major says: “From the music, which
is stuff most of the fans will recognize and enjoy, to having extra people cheer the Highlanders
there’s just a lot more energy that we can give.”
Much like the games themselves, the Pep Band is a fantastic way to build the NJIT
community. As musicians, the band members already connect with one another, and so with the
opportunity to play for the basketball team, they only hope to bring this sense of community to
the audience. As a member of the Pep Band I can see the impact the band is able to make
firsthand. The band’s involvement at each of these events is a great way to support NJIT’s
athletes, and to bring some more spirit to NJIT’s events. And so, the next time you attend a
basketball game, keep your eyes and ears open, because the Pep Band is sure to bring some spirit
and pep in your step.