Jaguar Marching Band Leads the Mystic Stripers
Posted on February 13, 2026
The University of South Alabama Jaguar Marching Band took to the streets of downtown Mobile on Thursday evening for the Mystic Striper’s Mardi Gras parade, joining thousands of spectators to take part in one of Mobile's most celebrated traditions.
After arriving from campus, three tour buses lined the street as students began unloading their instruments. Drumsticks tapped rhythmically against legs, and the roadside quickly filled with movement and sound. Some band members readied with jumping jacks and stretches, others adjusted their uniforms.
As 6:30 p.m. approached, the students first had to make their way to the step-off location, where they lined up in formation and double-checking gloves, instruments and spacing. The energy built as the band prepared to enter the parade route.
Once on the parade route, the band’s sound carried through downtown streets. Crowds cheered, some shouting “Go Jags!” from behind the barricades. Decked out in shimmering Mardi Gras beads, the band turned the street into a dance floor while dropping to the iconic beat of "Word Up."
For drum major Shannon Kille, a senior marine sciences major from Montgomery, the parade served as a poignant milestone in her final year. Kille has helped lead the band for three years, and marched for all four, through football games, parades and exhibitions across Alabama and the Gulf Coast. She is joined in her position for the last two years by fellow drum major Rivers Lewis.
“It’s a very bittersweet moment. I'm really glad that I got to march with this incredible band for so long,” she said.
Shannon Kille
I feel very honored. It's a very bittersweet moment, you know, because I had so much fun here, and I had a really great time, and I'm really glad that I got to march with this incredible band for so long. I really am sad to see it go, but I'm also really excited to see where this band is going to go after me, especially knowing that I'm leaving it in really good hands with Rivers. I'm excited to see how he's going to work as well with a new drum major. Really exciting."
“My favorite part of everything is to see how exciting we are for the younger children and the younger community, especially here in Mobile — really inspire them to start twirling,” Hatchett said.
My favorite part of everything is to see how exciting we are for the younger children
and the younger community, especially here in Mobile, really inspire them to start
twirling, because it's such a small and niche little sport. So it's so super fun to
get to be that kind of role model for them. And as long as I can make one little girl
happy, it's made my entire night.Lily Hatchett
Freshman Ethan Triplett, a civil engineering major from Pascagoula, Mississippi plays tuba in the band. Practice is critical, but when it's prime time, emotion also comes into play. “Mardi Gras is all about feelings; it’s all about getting into it and having a great time,” he said.
“There’s gonna be a lot of times that this is people’s first ever interaction with
South, and our goal for the band is to make it the best first impression that we can
give.”
Ethan Triplett
I’m overall really excited. Mobile is a hot spot for community; a hot spot for Mardi
Gras, so I’m really excited to see all of these people come here and be able to watch
these performances. There’s gonna be a lot of times that this is people’s first ever
interaction with South, and our goal for the band is to make it the best first impression
that we can give.
The Jaguar Marching Band was followed by a spirited Jag trolley. Riders included University President Jo Bonner, Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Andi Kent, student leadership, cheerleaders and the Southerners, South's student ambassadors. The parade ended near where it started — for the Jaguar Marching Band, about 3 1/2 miles and 8,500 steps later.
