The Leopard Pride is composed of two divisions: Football and Basketball.
The Basketball Division performs in the spring semester. Most of the material performed at basketball games is the same as performed at football games the previous semester, so significant rehearsal time or a winter band camp is not usually needed.
In addition, most of the membership for each semester remains the same, so the bond between the members is already present. Certain members only participate in one division for various reasons, but the majority of students participate both semesters.
Once the semester begins, the Pep Band only rehearses before home basketball games. Performances are usually Wednesday nights and Saturday afternoons with an occasional Sunday afternoon game.
Our instrumentation remains the same from football season but we add a percussion/rhythm section with more flexibility. We tend to have a drum set player along with marching snare drum, bass drum, quads, etc. We also include electric bass, guitar, synthesizer, and even KEYTAR.
Unlike the Football Division, which performs for most of the semester, the Basketball
Division is usually done by mid-semester.
The Pep Band does not travel to away games during the regular season.
Lafayette is a member of the Patriot League, which is Division I. Opponents are other members of the Patriot League as well as nearby Division I schools, including the Ivy League, Atlantic 10, Big 10, Colonial Athletic Conference, MAAC, NEC, SEC, Great West, and other Division I schools.
At the end of the regular season, the Patriot League holds their annual Patriot League Tournament to decide which member team will head to the NCAA Basketball Tournament (March Madness). All Patriot League teams play in the tournament. Should Lafayette host a home game for this tournament, the Pride will perform. Should Lafayette advance to the championship game, the Pride will perform regardless of location (meaning we will travel). Should Lafayette advance to the NCAA tournament (either through winning the Patriot League or through an at-large bid), the Pride will travel with the team.
The NCAA Basketball Tournament takes place over Spring Break and through the end of March. Students should be prepared to travel with the band after break should we make it that far. Anything is possible in this tournament. In 2011, we finished 6th in the Patriot League (out of 8), but we made it to the championship game against Bucknell (it was our second consecutive year in the championship). However, like the previous year, we failed to win, ending our season just before Spring Break.