December 2007

CAMPUS NEWS

AU Blue Crew Gains Momentum, Grabs Alumni Attention

Blue Crew shows up in force at a Men's Basketball game   photos by Jeff Watts

Last August, student leaders filled the quad encouraging incoming freshmen to join hundreds of their peers in the fastest growing and most successful student fan group in AU history – the AU Blue Crew. 

Identified by the eagle eyes of “Clawed” in a construction hat, Blue Crew members can be spotted wearing their official blue T-shirts in large numbers around campus. This student-run fan group now includes more than 2,100 members, who account for more than 36 percent of the student body. Alumni are taking notice.
 
“This group has to be the best display of school spirit in AU’s history,” said Brian Keane, president of the Alumni Board. “No longer can the naysayer declare AU doesn’t have the enthusiasm to support their fellow students at home athletics games and special events.  It should make every alumnus very proud.”

The group has received a great deal of support from not only students, but alumni and AU community members as well - including AU Trustee Jack Cassell, SOC/BA '77, who has been a major sponsor of the excitable group.

New members continue to join the crew due to the popularity of events such as pep rallies, pre-game tailgates, and viewing parties for away games. Student Government President Joe Vidulich, who helped to create the fan base, thinks the Blue Crew is gaining momentum. "Students are excited about AU and everything it has to offer. Not a day goes by when I do not see a Blue Crew shirt on the quad, downtown, somewhere in the metro area," he said. "The Blue Crew is now intricately part of the AU landscape. I am now prouder than ever to be an AU Eagle!"

Last season, the Blue Crew helped bring more than 3,500 students to the annual “Phil Bender” men’s basketball game, marking the largest student crowd in Bender Arena history. This year, on August 28, the Blue Crew set the attendance record for the largest crowd to ever attend a collegiate volleyball match in Washington D.C. with 1,516 on hand; the Blue Crew accounted for 1,011 of them.

“The Blue Crew has invigorated the student population and we are ecstatic that athletics has been their chosen rallying point. I commend the students as their collective passion is undeniable,” said David Bierwirth, associate director of Athletics. “The mania is contagious. It has manifested itself upon our coaches, student-athletes, campus leaders, and alumni, adding another layer of pride in all we do.”

Next time you visit campus, don't be surprised if one of the Blue Crew members grabs you, and inquires as their T-shirt mottos do, “ARE YOU IN?”

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