Marching 100 - Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University 2009

Marching 100

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The Louis Sudler Intercollegiate Marching Band Trophy

The Sudler Trophy honors "the close historical relationship and outstanding contribution of Intercollegiate Marching Bands to the American way of life."

It is an annual award "to recognize a college Marching Band of exceptional merit" and bands that have been awarded the Sudler Trophy are not eligible for nomination for additional Sudlers. The selection and presentation of this award is administered by the John Philip Sousa Foundation.

In 1985, the Florida A&M University "Marching 100" Band was awarded the Sudler Trophy, the highest honor a collegiate marching band can receive. With the presentation, the "Marching 100" was the 4th band in the nation, the first Southern band, the first HBCU band, and first and only in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference to receive the award, which is considered by many to be the "Heisman Trophy for college bands."

The Sudler Trophy is named for Louis and Virginia Sudler, the generous patrons whose efforts and contributions have made the award possible. Administered by the John Philip Sousa Foundation, the purpose of the award is "to identify and recognize collegiate marching bands of particular excellence which have made outstanding contributions to the American way of life.

The Sudler Trophy will be awarded annually to a college or university marching band which has demonstrated the highest of musical standards and innovative marching routines and ideas, and which has made important contributions to the advancement of the performance standards of college marching bands over a period of several years."

Each September, every marching band director in the United States who is teaching at a four-year school participating in NCAA football receives a ballot. Each director is asked to nominate and vote by listing and ranking three college marching bands from throughout the nation. These ballots are compiled and the result is announced each December in Chicago at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic.

This trophy is in recognition of the hard work and efforts that previous members of the World Famous "Marching 100" have put forth, and has become the standard for all future bands to live up to.

There's nothing sweeter than being recognized by your peers as the best in the country!

The complete list of Sudler recipients is: