The ESPN Band of the Year rankings are out. See where HBCU bands ranked

The first installment of the 2024 ESPN Band of the Year rankings is out for Division I and Division II HBCU bands.

Here are the rankings for October and how the bands were judged by a committee of experts that included Jackson State Director of Bands Emeritus, Professor Dowell Taylor, and Dr. Julian E. White, FAMU Director of Bands Emeritus:

Category Highest Score by Category
Musicality 80
Pictures, Drill, and Design 80
Percussion 70
Drum Majors 50
Auxiliaries (See Below) 50
Dance, Flags, Majorettes = Mean/Average of all 3 individual scores (If Applicable)
Highest Possible Points Per Band 330

Top 15 Division I HBCU Bands
(and Positions in each category)

  Division I “TOP 15” Overall  

Points

Drum Major Percussion Musicality Drill and Design  Auxiliary 
1 North Carolina A&T University 323.5 10 1 4 4 3
2 Southern University 321 12 4 5 6 1
3 Norfolk State University 319 5 3 1 4 9
4 Jackson State University 313 4 8 3 5 11
5 Bethune Cookman University 309.5 2 7 9 1 16
6 Florida A&M University 309 16 2 2 2 17
7 Texas Southern University 305.5 1 17 8 7 7
8 Prairie View A&M University 298 11 9 11 12 5
9 Alabama State University 297.5 8 10 7 8 18
10 Tennessee State University 295 7 15 6 13 6
11 Alcorn State University 289 15 11 10 11 14
12 Alabama A&M University 287.5 14 5 13 17 4
13 University of Arkansas Pine Bluff 278.5 6 19 20 9 13
14 Grambling State University 278 20 18 15 10 2
15 North Carolina Central University 278 3 14 17 18 10
Drum Major Top 10 Percussion Top 10 Musicality Top 10
1 Texas Southern University 1 North Carolina A&T University 1 Norfolk State University
2 Bethune Cookman University 2 Florida A&M University 2 Florida A&M University
3 North Carolina Central University 3 Norfolk State University 3 Jackson State University
4 Jackson State University 4 Southern University 4 North Carolina A&T University
5 Norfolk State University 5 Alabama A&M University 5 Southern University
6 University of Arkansas Pine Bluff 6 South Carolina State University 6 Tennessee State University (Independent)
7 Tennessee State University 7 Bethune- Cookman University 7 Alabama State University
8 Alabama State University 8 Jackson State University 8 Texas Southern University
9 Howard University 9 Prairie View A&M University 9 Bethune- Cookman University
10 North Carolina A&T University 10 Alabama State University 10 Alcorn State University
Pics. Drill & Design Top 10 Dance Top 10 Flag Top 10
1 Bethune- Cookman University 1 Texas Southern University 1 North Carolina A&T University
2 Florida A&M University 2 Southern University 2 Norfolk State University
3 Norfolk State University 3 Grambling State University 3 North Carolina Central University
4 North Carolina A&T University 4 Alabama A&M University 4 South Carolina State University
5 Jackson State University 5 North Carolina A&T University 5 Alabama A&M University
6 Southern University 6 Prairie View A&M University 6 Prairie View A&M University
7 Texas Southern University 7 Howard University 7 Hampton University (Independent)
8 Alabama State University 8 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 8 Howard University
9 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 9 Tennessee State University (Independent) 9 Morgan State University
10 Grambling State University 10 Alabama State University 10 Alcorn State University
Majorette Top 3
1 Hampton University (Independent)
2 Howard University
3 South Carolina State University
jsuusher
Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South Marching Band delivers a captivating halftime performance alongside singer, songwriter, dancer, actor, and producer Usher during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at the 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas, Nevada. (William H. Kelly III/JSU University Communications)

Top 15 Division II HBCU Bands
(and Positions in each category)

  Division II Overall Top 15 Total Points Drum Major Percussion Musicality Pic. Drill & Design Auxiliary
1 Miles College 293 1 1 4 2 12
2 Florida Memorial 286 2 2 8 1 5
3 Virginia State University 284.6 16 4 1 10 3
4 Winston- Salem State University 269.5 10 14 2 12 8
5 Tuskegee University  267 12 7 3 21 2
6 Albany State University 258 11 12 7 5 7
7 Langston University (Independent) 256 4 16 9 3 11
8 Talladega College (Independent) 251 6 6 17 8 13
9 Central State University 249 3 9 21 6 10
10 Morehouse College 248.5 9 15 10 11 1
11 Fayetteville State University 245 13 3 14 9 17
12 Savannah State 244.5 5 20 11 4 16
13 Elizabeth City State University 239.5 7 17 18 7 4
14 Benedict College 238.5 8 11 6 14 20
15 Edward Waters College (Independent) 233.5 21 13 5 15 14
Major Top 10 Percussion Top 10 Musicality Top 10
1 Miles College 1 Miles College 1 Virginia State University
2 Florida Memorial 2 Florida Memorial 2 Winston Salem State University
3 Central State University 3 Fayetteville State University 3 Tuskegee College
4 Langston University (Independent) 4 Virginia State University 4 Miles College
5 Savannah State 5 Lincoln University 5 Edward Waters College (Independent)
6 Talladega College (Independent) 6 Talladega College (Independent) 6 Benedict College
7 Elizabeth City State University 7 Tuskegee College 7 Albany State University
8 Benedict College 8 Shaw University 8 Florida Memorial
9 Morehouse College 9 Central State University 9 Langston University (Independent)
10 Winston- Salem State University 10 Bowie State University 10 Morehouse College
Pic. Drill and Design Top 10 Dance Top 10 Flag Top 10
1 Florida Memorial 1 Morehouse College 1 Virginia State University
2 Miles College 2 Tuskegee College 2 Florida Memorial
3 Langston University 3 Elizabeth City State University 3 Morehouse College
4 Savannah State 4 Albany State University 4 Elizabeth City State University
5 Albany State University 5 Fort Valley State University 5 Tuskegee College
6 Central State University 6 Central State University 6 Winston Salem State University
7 Elizabeth City State University 7 Florida Memorial 7 Bowie State University
8 Talladega 8 Bowie State University 8 Shaw University
9 Fayetteville State University 9 Langston University 9 Albany State University
10 Virginia State University 10 Winston Salem State University 10 Miles College
Majorette Top 2
1 Virginia State University
2 Florida Memorial

The next update will come in late October, as the top 15 will be reduced to the top 10 overall in each division. The November ranking will list the top five in each division.

The final ranking will award the top two teams in each division a shot at the ESPN Band of the Year title, which will be determined on Dec. 13 in the Mercedes-Benz Dome in Atlanta ahead of the Celebration Bowl football game.

Courtesy: ESPN

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