Nicole Letendre ‘23

Chief Features Editor

Holy Cross Crusader fans gathered around the Hoval on Friday night for the Pep Rally celebration, which featured speeches by members of the football team, as well as live performances by the Holy Cross Cheer Team and the Good Time Marching Band. Students flocked to the food trucks stationed nearby and stopped by a table handing out free Holy Cross merchandise—sweatshirts, T-shirts, headbands, and more! All the gear needed to foster excitement before the big game day. 

Beforehand, Holy Cross Cheerleaders, along with the Good Time Marching Band, spirited outside the Easy Street Residence Halls, encouraging students to join them for the Pep Rally as they paraded towards the Hoval. Smiling students walked by, eager to see the spectacle. Many were drawn towards the Hoval, and others were already on their way! Maggie Hannick ’23 hosted the Pep Rally celebration, coordinating the transition of different speakers into performances. A couple of football players even joined up on stage to play a fun game, involving a basketball, which enlivened the event and boosted the energy. 

Captains of the Cheer Team taught the crowd of students several cheers, among them was a “Defense!” chant, “Go Cross Go!” chant, and lastly, the cheer “Are you proud to be a ‘Sader?’”—to which the crowd answered with a resounding “Yes we are!” The Good Time Marching Band played “Fight Song,” which is featured at every home football game, as the Cheer Team performed alongside them. The event drew crowds of students, and the enthusiasm was heart-warming. Lastly, the on-campus K-pop dance group—Kxplosion—performed onstage, drawing excited students to watch right from the edge of the stage. 

The whole Pep Rally event was a success, with students displaying enthusiasm and a strong sense of community. As a result, the Holy Cross campus was invigorated and ready to take on game day! Caroline Wallace ‘23, Co-Captain of the Holy Cross Cheerleading Team shared, “The Pep Rally was a fun, new tradition that allowed students to show their school spirit. It also helped with bringing students to watch the game as there were over 13,000 students in attendance. It also gave the band and other spirit squads the opportunity to introduce first-year students to some of the fun, game-day traditions like the fight song and Maime Reilly.” Overall, though the Pep Rally was a new event this year, it proved to be a highly popular and morale-boosting program that will hopefully continue for years to come. Come the next Holy Cross home football game, make sure to support your Crusaders on Fitton Field, as well as the Holy Cross Cheerleading Team and the Good Time Marching Band, who are also performing on game days and guaranteed to bring positive energy and pep!