Best D3 Marching ?

[moir]

What D3 Programs have the best Marching Bands? Average size of those bands?

[ADL70]

CWRU 60-70 musicians.

https://case.edu/artsci/music/ensembles/spartan-marching-band

[bulk19]

UW-Eau Claire has an ensemble of 475+ members...

One of the largest in the country, at all levels...

If you're asking to determine if you or someone should go there, here's a link:

https://www.blugoldmarchingband.com/general-info

The band also posts performances on You Tube...

If you aren't asking for someone who's looking for a school to go to, then any other information I would provide would just be me boasting about my alma mater's band... 

[The Third Division]

Whitewater has a good one.

[uwwcontra2007]

The WIAC has some good bands (although I'm really really biased about one of them).  Eau Claire has become a force on the field and I wonder how they can fit all those performers on the field (maybe only go to a 1 step interval, idk).  La Crosse has a fairly decent band, as does Platteville, and Oshkosh has just recently relaunched their Marching Band.  I know Stout does a pep band which only lasts one half (maybe that's changed as the last game I went to up there was Whitewater @ Stout in 2005 with a smattering of Warhawk musicians), and I'm not entirely sure what Point and River Falls do.

I also know Whitewater hosts a DCI show in July (the site of the first DCI Finals in 1972), and we've hosted the State Marching Championships in October (which I marched three years as a HS Student, and five more in the Warhawk Marching Band).

[Ralph Turner]

McMurry has had a band as far back as I can verify (late 1920's). The alums would call the heydey of the band from 1946 thru 1972, when it was directed by "Prof" (Raymond) Bynum, who is credited with creating (one of if not) the first high school marching band(s) in Texas at Abilene High School about 1926. Under Prof Bynum, the band toured internationally. It had 12 herald trumpets used for the trumpet solo in Stars and Stripes Forever. Prof had a calliope. Affectionately Prof Bynum was known for sesquipedalian tendencies.

When I played in the early 1970's we marched 65 for a school of 1400 students. They march about 35 now.

I also have to give a shout out to the HSU Cowboy Band. They have been everywhere, including the Macy's T-day parade.

[Ron Boerger]

LOL - I can remember when I was an undergrad at Trinity(TX) throwing about a 24-member scatter band on the field one year, a la the Rice MOB, only nowhere near as talented, funny, or any other metric you want to choose.  It was a totally student-led organization, but we made it to all the home games (if not "marching" all of them) and some of the men's basketball games.  The next year the school got it under their control and it lasted all of one game. 

For the last few seasons they intermittently have a stand band which has about 20 members on a good day.  A school of 2,500+ should be able to do better (especially in Texas) but student support for athletics at my alma mater is a fairly recent thing.   

[Shamrock]

The Wooster Scots Marching Band is impressive coming over the hill during home football games.

[ADL70]

Similar to Wooster, Carnegie Mellon Kiltie Band

https://athletics.cmu.edu/athletics/kiltieband/index

[jknezek]

In the ODAC:

Bridgewater started one in 2019 I think, and Shenandoah just started theirs in 2022. Ferrum has one, not sure for how long. Roanoke is starting one alongside their football program reboot.

I know Huntingdon has one in the USASAC. Birmingham-Southern used to have one, but I think it's gone.

[Pat Coleman]

Eau Claire was already mentioned, perhaps the best I've seen. I'd also add UW-La Crosse to the mix.

[MRMIKESMITH]

CNU has a nice band, they really provide top notch atmosphere.

[WUPHF]

This is a great idea for a thread. 

Marching bands add a lot to the game day experience.

[WLCALUM83]

I'm surprised Fannosaurous Rex hasn't responded on this thread yet. (While WLC's band numbers aren't large enough for a marching band yet, they do have a drum-line, which I heard during the Warriors' last FB home game vs. Concordia-Chicago.)

[ADL70]

I'm surprised Fannosaurous Rex hasn't responded on this thread yet. (While WLC's band numbers aren't large enough for a marching band yet, they do have a drum-line, which I heard during the Warriors' last FB home game vs. Concordia-Chicago.)

And where's AUPepBand?