Krewe continues to roll on

In recent history, NCAA athletics and Tulane have not exactly been synonymous. In a region surrounded by fanatical Southeastern Conference schools, and still working diligently to pick up the pieces of Hurricane Katrina, Tulane athletics have gone though a period of somewhat lackluster results, support and passion. There is, however, a rapidly growing organization on campus that is looking forward to changing the mindset of average Tulane fan.

The Krewe of Green Wave, the offshoot of an alumni organization founded to help deter the school from relegating athletics to Division II, is one of the more dynamic organizations on campus, spearheading an effort to garner more positive and outward support for Tulane athletics. Founded by junior Remy Jones, the student group now has more than 900 fans on their Facebook group, and has a membership core that is just as committed and passionate as the Duke Cameron Crazies or AriZona Zoo. At football games in the mostly desolate Superdome, the western endzone was congested with Krewe members furiously cheering on the Green Wave, and as basketball season begins to heat up, the tiny size of Fogelman Arena is quickly becoming a noticeable advantage as the Krewe amps up the decibel level to new heights.

The Krewe does not differentiate classically “major” sports from “minor” ones, as they have also shown their support and commitment to volleyball, swimming and intramurals. Buses to select away games are included in Krewe membership, which costs $20 and covers the price of a shirt and food for pep rallies, meetings, and other events organized by the Green Wave’s most fanatical supporters. The group holds meetings frequently, with committees working on sponsorships, partnerships with athletics, recruitment and Greek cooperation.

The Krewe earned an early sponsorship from Wingzone, and in turn they were able to build fan support through Jumbotron announcements at the Superdome. In October, they hosted Late Night in Fogelman, which helped kick off the basketball season and help garner support for the basketball.

With baseball season right around the corner and the Green Wave looking to get back into the College World Series for the first time since Katrina, expect the Krewe to be incredibly involved in the coming months on campus. For more information, visit the Krewe of Green Wave’s Facebook page, and help continue to develop the growing fanbase of Tulane athletics.