Sportsmanship in Action: Iowa Prep Band Steps up for Women’s College Basketball Team

Editor’s Note: This column highlights an act of good sportsmanship in high school sports or performing arts programs. If you have an act of good sportsmanship that has occurred in your school, please send details to Bruce Howard at bhoward@nfhs.org.

Fairleigh Dickinson has made headlines in March Madness before when its men’s basketball team shocked Purdue in 2023, becoming the second No. 16 seed in history to knock off a No. 1 seed. Three years later, and the No. 15 seed FDU women’s basketball went neck and neck against No. 2 seed Iowa in the 2026 NCAA tournament, ultimately losing after a tough battle.

Despite the result for the Knights, it was a kind gesture by a local Iowa high school pep band that made headlines. FDU doesn’t have an official pep band, so members of Iowa City West High School’s pep band and six middle school band students filled in.

This was made possible when FDU officials started notifying Iowa City area schools on Monday, March 16 in an effort to find a substitute band. Despite being on spring break, Iowa City West band director Ryan Middleton put out a Google form for students who were still in the area and interested in helping out.

Two days later, Iowa City West got approval to be the substitute band. However, it only had 72 hours to review the FDU fight song and rehearse it with their spirit squad. Spring break also made things difficult, meaning they could only rehearse the fight song two hours before tipoff at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The bulk of preparation was completed in this time, but it proved to be enough. Most impressively, the band was able to learn the FDU fight song in under an hour.

It wasn’t a typical setup for the Iowa City West pep band, but the makeshift group did a great job in such an impromptu situation. Regardless, it created an unforgettable experience for students to perform in front of 15,000 fans in a game that also featured one of the elite powerhouses in women’s college basketball.

Noah Eaton was a spring semester intern in the NFHS Publications/Communications Department. He is a senior at Indiana University in Bloomington.