The Ohio University Marching Band is trumpeting a new title after they were voted the Best College Marching Band in the nation through the USA TODAY Sports Readers' Choice Awards.
The ensemble, nicknamed the Marching 110 in honor of the original number of members at the founding in 1923, is a 225-member marching band with a long history of performances both on their home turf in Athens and around the globe, including having marched in three different Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades in New York City.
The Best College Marching Band award involves a national competition between marching bands selected by a panel of USA TODAY judges and voted on by readers.
Ohio State University's marching band also made the list, ranking eighth.
Richard Suk, the marching band's director, said even though the Marching 110 no longer has only 110 members, that number is significant in representing that students are expected to give 110% effort to the ensemble.
“What makes the Marching 110 special has always been its students,” Suk said. “Not only do they bring tremendous musicianship and athleticism to every performance, but they also bring an expectation that they are going to give 110% to each other, to their university and to every audience they entertain.
"I’m thankful for this recognition and incredibly proud that it highlights the students and alumni who are responsible for making this band better than the best ever.”
This is the first year the Marching 110 received this award, but the group has received a number of other awards from organizations, including a seventh-place ranking in CollegeRaptors top 10 college marching bands this year. Ohio State's marching band placed third on that list.
Ohio University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez said this award highlights the hard work of students who dedicate time to the marching band while also juggling schoolwork and other activities.
“The Marching 110 represents the very best of Ohio University’s commitment to experiential learning,” Stewart Gonzalez said. “Students develop lifelong skills in leadership, collaboration, resilience and excellence while contributing to a tradition that unites generations of Bobcats."
Dispatch reporter Lilli Malone can be reached at lmalone@dispatch.com or on Instagram at @lillimwrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio University Marching 110 earns USA TODAY honor, besting TBDBITL
