History

THE INAUGURAL YEAR: 2006-2007

The Spirit of Stony Brook was founded in September 2006 at the request of then-President Shirley Strum Kenny, by a committee chaired by Jerrold Stein (Dean of Students and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs), and included Perry Goldstein (Director of the Undergraduate College of Arts, Culture, and Humanities), Jim Fiore (Athletic Director), and Josh Cheuvront (Graduate Student Assistant). They named John Leddy—a well-known and successful Long Island music educator—to be the first Director of Athletic Bands.

A three-day band camp was held September 1-3, 2006, during which twenty courageous and enthusiastic musicians came together and formed an indelible bond. Navneet Singh was selected to be the first Drum Major. They survived rehearsals during the height of Tropical Storm Ernesto, and presented their first public performance to 5,000 incoming freshmen and transfer students at New Student Convocation on September 3.

Band uniforms arrived on October 3 and members were quickly fitted over the next two days, in time for the band’s debut performances at Wolfstock 2006—Stony Brook’s Homecoming Weekend—on October 6 and 7. The band performed through Woodstock Village at the Homecoming Parade, and for halftime at the football game.

The band grew close and organized a pasta party the night before the final football game on October 28. Their first season formally ended with a banquet held in the Wang Center on November 28, with President Kenny in attendance.
A YEAR OF GROWTH: 2007-2008

Many changes accompanied the band's second year. The season began with its first weeklong band camp, including a two-day retreat for the Leadership Team. The program was proud to open its newly-renovated band area, which had storage for all instruments and uniforms, as well as a lounge and practice space for its members.

During the football season, the band performed a pregame show featuring the fanfare from “Ben-Hur,” the Victory Song, and Sandy Shore (alma mater), with the band’s first drill. The band performed two halftime shows over the course of their five home football games—a Blues Brothers show and a Billy Joel show.

The band's size more-than-doubled to 70 members in its second season. The program added Jen Bigus as the color guard instructor and Jeffrey Butterfield as the drumline instructor, and included graduate student staff Josh Cheuvront and Shayna Stahl (née Corapi).

The band continued to perform at all home men’s and women’s basketball games, and traveled to the America East Tournament for both teams in March. In addition, the band served as the official pep band for the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League. The band played at all home Dragons games in Nassau Coliseum, and was presented with its first scholarship donation of $25,000.

The band's second year was also the band's first to victoriously sail across Roth Pond in the annual Roth Regatta. Immediately following, the band unexpectedly lost a beloved member. Read more about Stephen Stakey, below.

"So Far, So Fast." President Kenny often used this expression to describe the rapid growth of Stony Brook University and its quick ascension as an elite research university. It also describes the progression of the marching band from the “Original 20" members at the first band camp in August 2006, to its rapid growth in its second year. The program reached an important milestone late in July 2008 when registration reached 100 members.
REMEMBER STEPHEN STAKEY: OUR UNSUNG HERO

On May 2, 2008, the band lost one of its members when Stephen Stakey, a beloved member of the AS YET unnamed Spirit of Stony Brook, died tragically and all too soon. He collapsed suddenly at the 2008 Roth Regatta after having witnessed the band’s first-ever boat sail smoothly and victoriously across Roth Pond—a boat he had spent the previous several weeks working to engineer and help hoist into the waters.

The band was forever transformed. It was indeed then, that the band became a family.

Stephen was a gifted student, a member of the Honors College and Computer Science Honors Program, and a Microsoft genius. He was selected to be a computer analyst and beta tester in high school as part of a unique program for gifted and talented students. Stephen was an important and unanimously loved member of the band, where he played Bass 5 on the Stony Brook Drumline. The size of the drum can only be matched by the size of his heart, and he was uniquely talented at keeping the band on pace, on course, steady and in rhythm, and he was great at it. These talents were not just reserved for field performances because, although he never sought the limelight, he was considered by many of his peers as their “Rock.”

Each year at Band Banquet, we celebrate Stephen by recognizing one (of many) of our outstanding members who reflect his very same qualities, by presenting the Stephen Stakey Unsung Hero Award. Receiving this award is considered one of the band’s highest honors. Quite appropriately, Stephen was the band’s first-ever Unsung Hero Award recipient.
ESTABLISHING TRADITIONS (2006-2013)

After two successful seasons, the Stony Brook Marching band was well on its way to becoming an established part of the Stony Brook campus and community. In the immediate seasons, the band established many of the traditions that are still with us today.

In 2008, the Stony Brook Cheer and Dance teams joined the band for game day performances, such as parades, and the pregame and halftime shows. However, the largest tradition was established n the band's third season in February of 2009, the Stony Brook Marching Band officially took the name, "The Spirit of Stony Brook."

In the Fall of 2009, Shayna Stahl was officially appointed as the first Athletic Band Coordinator under Director John Leddy. Stahl transitioned into a more permanent member of the organization after serving as a graduate student assistant since its formation.

Also in 2009, the Spirit of Stony Brook saw its first high school band day. The band was joined on the field and in the stands by the bands from Longwood High School and Brooklyn Automotive High School. The following year, the Rocky Point High School marching band joined the bands from Longwood and Brooklyn Automotive High School for a second successful band day. This tradition continued through 2012 with students from Rocky Point, Ronkonkoma, Manhasset, Mechanicville, Farmingdale and Connetquot all joining the Stony Brook Marching Band on the field and in the stands.

The marching band also started performing at parades under Leddy and Stahl. In 2011, the Spirit of Stony Brook marched in the Columbus Day Parade in New York City for the first time. The band performed at that parade for the next three years.

On top of parades, the Spirit of Stony Brook has also performed in a few high profile performances. First in 2010, the band performed at a filming of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, with theSpirit Squad and Wolfie. The band led the famous bus to the house and participated in the iconic “Move That Bus” chant as the new home was revealed. Then in 2011, nine members of the marching band traveled to Brooklyn and participated in a New York State Lottery Commercial that began airing in May that year.

Along with football, basketball has been an important part of Stony Brook Marching Band. in 2011, the Spirit of Stony Brook love and support of those teams solidified as the band cheered on the Seawolves to their first ever Men’s America East Championship appearance. Since then, the band has enthusiastically supported the basketball teams at all their home games. And has also made numerous appearances in the postseason including five appearances at Men’s America East Basketball Finals and one at the Women’s Finals in 2014.

After seven successful seasons, founding director John Leddy stepped aside from his role in the Spirit of Stony Brook Marching Band in 2013, and become the Spirit of Stony Brook's Director Emeritus.
A NEW PERSPECTIVE (2013-2016)

Shayna Stahl, the then Athletic Bands Coordinator, was named director for the 2013 marching season. She saw success as the director of the program, growing the band to it’s largest size ever and traveling to more games, including UConn and Villanova for football and Iowa with the basketball team.

Also under Stahl, the band’s involvement with the basketball teams only grew, so much that the Spirit of Stony Brook played at the ribbon cutting ceremony and helped unveil the newly renovated Island Federal Credit Union Arena. Soon after, they played and cheered Stony Brook Basketball to its first America East Men’s Tournament win and an NCAA berth. A select group of band members traveled alongside the Men’s team to Des Moines, Iowa for their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance.

Outside of football and basketball, the Stony Brook Band also performed in a Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime commercial in 2014. And in 2015 during Stony Brook’s annual fall concert the band performed “Shut Up And Dance” alongside Walk The Moon. One month later, the band went viral on Instagram performing the Thriller dance during a halftime show on Halloween.

In Summer 2016, Stahl helped facilitate SOSB’s first year of involvement representing the entire State University of New York system in the Annual New York City Pride Parade. Vincent Malafronte, who had been heavily involved with the band, was appointed to Athletic Bands Coordinator. After ten years of service to the Athletic Bands, Stahl left Stony Brook to pursue a doctoral degree in wind conducting at the University of Washington. Dr. Stahl is now the Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference.
TRANSITIONING INTO THE SECOND DECADE (2016-2018)

In the summer of 2016, Dr. Christopher Parks was chosen to take over as the Director of Athletic Bands after Stahl. Before coming to Stony Brook, Parks was the Director of Athletic Bands and Music Organizations at Boston University for 10 years. During his time at BU, he was contacted by SOSB Founding Director John Leddy for input while establishing the Stony Brook Athletic Bands program. Dr. Parks was now the first Director of Athletic Bands at Stony Brook who was not directly involved in the program since the band’s 2006 inception.

The band’s progress did not falter after Parks became the director and some old traditions were revived. The band had its first travel football game in two years in 2016 when we performed at a Temple Football game in Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. And high school band day came back with the Three Villages Marching Band joining us in November.

During his time at Stony Brook, the band traveled to Temple University in Philadelphia to perform its first away football game in two years; performed its first non-parade exhibition performance at the Mineola High School Marching Competition; High School Band Day was reestablished, and SOSB was joined by the Three Villages Marching Band; performance involvement in May commencement was increased; and the band performed in the 2017 NYC Pride Parade its second consecutive year.

At the end of the 2017-2018 academic year, Dr. Parks resigned his position as the Director of Athletic Bands. He left to have more time to spend with his wife and daughter.
A LOOK BACK AND A VISION FORWARD (2018-2025)

In September 2018, Dr. Justin R. Stolarik was hired as Interim Director of Athletic Bands, following the departure of Dr. Chris Parks.

Dr. Stolarik immediately placed a strong emphasis on marching and drill precision—mixing traditional and corps-style techniques—while elevating the band’s playing style and skill. By the end of his first year, he expanded the band’s active repertoire to more than seventy-five tunes, and concluded the year with the Inaugural Spirit of Stony Brook Spring Concert, drawing 750 spectators.

Under Dr. Stolarik, the band continued to maintain many of our traditions, such as our participation in the NYC Pride Parade, which opened the opportunity to different SUNY band members, branding it the SUNY Pride Band. In addition, the band had new changes to the way they performed, where the band newly introduced school songs such as the "Spirit Song (Cheer for Stony Brook!)" and "Wolfie Spell-Out" into the Pregame Show, and for the first time in the band's history, SOSB prepared a new halftime show for every home football game, which meant seven new and unique shows, including the introduction of the Stony Brook Finale to conclude the final halftime show.

In 2023, at Stony Brook's first Coastal Athletic Association's (CAA) basketball tournament, The Spirit of Stony Brook continued to play for both the men's and women's basketball tournament, which transitioned to an annual trip for the band. In addition, members of SOSB partcipated in the Fox Sports Network show, First Things First, in both 2024 and 2025 for their annual SuperBowl Extravaganza Show, alongside hosts Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes.

During the 2024-2025 Marching Band season, the University at Albany's Marching Great Danes traveled to Stony Brook for the Battle of the Golden Apple game, where the bands did a collaborative halftime show together, the first time this has occurred in SOSB history!

Drum Majors

DM#	Name	Years Served	Band#	ADM#	Name	Years Served	Band#
25	Brian Friedlander	2025-	SOSB20	5	Aidan Mussaleen	2025-	SOSB20
24	Samantha Lankowicz	2024-2025	SOSB19	4	Patrick Hocker	2024-	SOSB19-20
23	Kathryn Scialabba	2023-2024	SOSB18	3	Samantha Lankowicz	2023-2024	SOSB18
22	Yajvin Dabbiru	2022-2023	SOSB17	2	Kathryn Scialabba	2022-2023	SOSB17
21	Nicholas Manzella	2021-2022	SOSB16	1	Yajvin Dabbiru	2021-2022	SOSB16
20	Jordan Miller	2020-2021	SOSB15
19	Yajvin Dabbiru	2020-2021	SOSB15
18	Julia Mullaly	2020-2021	SOSB15
17	Haggai Anglade	2019-2020	SOSB14
16	Veronica "V" Quintana	2019-2020	SOSB14
15	Joshua Stone	2018-2019	SOSB13
14	Scott Scheunemann	2018-2019	SOSB13
13	Theresa Grimaldi	2017-2019	SOSB12-13
12	Emily Biermann	2016-2019	SOSB11-13
11	Quamel Francis	2015-2018	SOSB10-12
10	Lakin Williamson	2014-2017	SOSB9-11
9	Katie Lankowicz	2013-2016	SOSB8-10
8	Andre Leon	2013-2015	SOSB8-9
7	Katherine Stockton	2012-2014	SOSB7-8
6	Eric Kunz	2011-2013	SOSB6-7
5	Karthik Rao	2010-2013	SOSB5-6
4	Megan Spicer	2009-2012	SOSB4-5
3	Justin Francisco	2008-2011	SOSB3-4
2	Geoffery Bansen	2007-2010	SOSB2-3
1	Navneet Singh	2006-2008	SOSB1-2

Feature Twirlers

Twirler#	Name	Years Served	Band#
4	Jackie Borzumato	2025-	SOSB20
3	Olivia Peña	2023-2025	SOSB18-19
2	Darielle Lafurno	2020-2023	SOSB15-17
1	Maya Brown	2018-2020	SOSB12-13

Halftimes

Billy Joel: A Tribute to Long Island
My Life, Only the Good Die Young, Just the Way you Are, We Didn't Start the Fire, Piano Man

Our Family Playlist (Band Family Day)
Stacy's Mom, APT., Mr. Brightside

Stadium Anthems (Alumni Band Reunion Day)
Narco, Pour Some Sugar on Me, Don't Stop Believin'

Service Tunes
Party in the USA, The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army), Marines' Hymn (Marines), Anchors Aweigh (Navy), The U.S. Air Force (Air Force), Semper Supra (Coast Guard), Semper Paratus (Space Force)

Wicked
No One Mourns the Wicked, Dancing Through Life, Defying Gravity, For Good, No Good Deed
Wolfie's Welcome
Astronaut in the Ocean, Talkin' Out the Side of Your Neck, Don't Go, 95.south, Cold-Hearted, Tear it Up, Physical

Viva Elvis! (Band Family Day)
Burning Love, See See Rider, Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock, Can't Help Falling in Love

Wolfie's Red Hot Playlist (High School Band Day)
24K Magic, Oye Como Va, Fireball, Hot to Go!

New York State of Mind (Alumni Band Reunion Day)
New York Hippodrome March, Manhattan Beach March, I Love New York (NY State Song), Empire State of Mind

Veteran's Day Salute
Stars and Stripes Fanfare, The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army), Marines' Hymn (Marines), Anchors Aweigh (Navy), The U.S. Air Force (Air Force), Semper Supra (Coast Guard), Semper Paratus (Space Force), Stars and Stripes Forever

Stan Kenton Returns and the Stony Brook Finale
Pegasus, La Suerte de los Tontos, Stony Brook Finale

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Stony Brook Proud: 5 Years of the LGBTQ* Center
Over the Rainbow Fanfare, I'm Comin' Out, Born This Way, Dancing Queen, Over the Rainbow, We Are Family

Swingin' with the Seawolves
Birdland, In the Mood, Caravan

New York State of Mind
New York Hippodrome March, Manhattan Beach March, I Love New York (NY State Song), The Boy from New York City

Veteran's Day Salute & The Stony Brook Finale
Stars and Stripes Fanfare, The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army), Marines' Hymn (Marines), Anchors Aweigh (Navy), The U.S. Air Force (Air Force), Semper Supra (Coast Guard), Semper Paratus (Space Force), Stars and Stripes Forever, Stony Brook Finale

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Enrollment: 103

New York State of Mind
New York Hippodrome March, Manhattan Beach March, I Love New York (NY State Song), Take the "A" Train

50th Anniversary of QUEEN
We Will Rock You, Another One Bites the Dust, Don't Stop Me Now, We are the Champions, Bohemian Rhapsody

Wolfie's Dance Marathon
Sandy Shore Blues, Born This Way, Toxic, What is Love?, Love Shack, Dancing Queen, I'm a Believer, Tequila, Riffs (from Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs)

35th Anniversary of Phantom of the Opera
Overture, Phantom of the Opera, Think of Me, Masquerade, All I Ask of You, Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, Music of the Night, On Broadway

Our Swingin' American Salute & The Stony Brook Finale
Stars and Stripes Fanfare, The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army), Marines' Hymn (Marines), Anchors Aweigh (Navy), The U.S. Air Force (Air Force), Semper Supra (Coast Guard), Swing Swing Swing, Stony Brook Finale

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Enrollment: 111

25th Anniversary of RENT: The Musical
Rent, Seasons of Love, Finale

Latin Fire!
Aztec Fire, Fiero, Malaga, Malagueña, I Go to Rio

New York State of Mind
New York Hippodrome March, Manhattan Beach March, Cheer for Stony Brook (Spirit Song), Empire State of Mind

SOSB 15th Anniversary
Ben Hur, You Really Got Me, Watermelon Man, Mercy Mercy Mercy, Fanfare for the Common Man, We're an American Band, You Can Call Me Al, Pinball Wizard, Shayna's Fanfare, Shut Up and Dance, Runaway Baby, Truth Hurts, Seawolves in Space, Winkler Fanfare

Latin Fire! & The Stony Brook Finale
Aztec Fire, Fiero, Malaga, Malagueña, Stony Brook Finale

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Enrollment: 150

SBU Athletics: 20 Years of NCAA Division 1
Fanfare #2, Victory Song, Time Warp, Seawolves in Space, Fight Song, Jumpin' at the Woodside

New York State of Mind
New York Hippodrome March, Manhattan Beach March, Go! Fight! Win! (Victory Song), Empire State of Mind

Slaughter on Tenth Avenue
Selections from Slaughter on Tenth Avenue

LaValle Stadium Jukebox
Don't Stop Believin', Copacabana, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Walkin' on Sunshine, I Love Rock 'n' Roll, Respect, Sweet Caroline

Women of Pop
Call Me, We Found Love, Starships, We R Who We R, Truth Hurts, Poker Face, Raise Your Glass

Americana
Fanfare for the Common Man (Woody Herman), Rawhide, Appalachian Spring (Simple Gifts), The Land Race

Wolfie's Dance Party & The Stony Brook Finale
Thriller, Cold-Hearted, Bad Romance, Toxic, Hey Ya, Crazy in Love, On the Floor, Stony Brook Finale

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Enrollment: 174

Music of SHREK
All Star, Funkytown, I'm a Believer, Disco Inferno

The Jazz Legacies of Stan Kenton and Benny Goodman
Artistry Fanfare, Artistry in Rhythm, Sing Sing Sing

A Very Special United States Military Tribute
Stars and Stripes Fanfare, The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army), Marines' Hymn (Marines), Anchors Aweigh (Navy), The U.S. Air Force (Air Force), Semper Supra (Coast Guard), America the Beautiful, Stars and Stripes Finale

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Enrollment: 216 members

Brookfest
Bridge Over Troubled Water, Light My Fire, I Get Around, Don't Fear the Reaper, I Love Rock 'n' Roll

Wolfie Around the World
Malagueña, Funiculi Funicula / Nessun Dorma, Scottish Drum Break, Victorious

Lifting Spirits
Sound of Silence, Sir Duke, Lift Every Voice and Sing

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Enrollment: 216 members

Show #1
Earth Wind and Fire Medley, Runaway Baby, Pretty Fly, Queen Medley

Show #2
You Really Got Me, You Can Call Me Al, Shut Up and Dance, Tommy, Thriller, Thnks fr th Mmrs

Show #3
The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army), Marines' Hymn (Marines), Anchors Aweigh (Navy), The U.S. Air Force (Air Force), Semper Supra (Coast Guard), God Bless the USA

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Enrollment: 205

Hit Songs
Geronimo, Shut Up and Dance, Honey I'm Good

Billy Joel
Uptown Girl, Only the Good Die Young, New York State of Mind

Halloween
Master of Puppets, Thriller, Time Warp

Veteran's Day
Stars and Stripes Forever, The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army), Marines' Hymn (Marines), Anchors Aweigh (Navy), The U.S. Air Force (Air Force), Semper Supra (Coast Guard), America the Beautiful

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Enrollment: 187

Pop and Punk: Part 1
Thnks Fr th Mmrs, Ain't it Fun, Pompeii, My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark

Pop and Punk: Part 2
Thnks Fr th Mmrs, Ain't it Fun, My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark

Hit Songs
Luck, Pompeii, The Walker

70s Big Band & Military Salute
Birdland, The Army Goes Rolling Along (Army), Marines' Hymn (Marines), Anchors Aweigh (Navy), The U.S. Air Force (Air Force), Semper Supra (Coast Guard), What is Hip

70s Big Band
Birdland, 25 or 6 to 4, What is Hip

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Enrollment: 224

Show #1
Can't Hold Us, Thirft Shop, Good Feeling, Take On Me, Feel This Moment

Show #2
Children of Sanchez, Tiger of San Pedro, Malagueña

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Enrollment: 201

Show #1
What Makes You Beautiful, Moves Like Jagger, We Found Love

Show #2
We Found Love, On the Floor, We Are Young

Show #3
Semi-Charmed Life, Pretty Fly, All the Small Things

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Enrollment: 166

Show #1
Dynamite, Forget You, Born This Way, Raise Your Glass, We R Who We R

Show #2
Dynamite, Hold It Against Me, Born This Way, Raise Your Glass

Show #3
We're Not Gonna Take It, Rock This Town, Time After Time, Detroit Rock City

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Enrollment: 168

Show #1
Don't Stop Believin', 4 Minutes, America the Beautiful

Show #2
Talkin' Out the Side of Your Neck, Cold-Hearted

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Enrollment: 150

SOSB #4 Show
White Rabbit, Don't Fear the Reaper, Thriller, Bye Bye Bye, Disturbia

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Enrollment: 114

Show #1
Bridge Over Troubled Water, You Can Call Me Al, Still Crazy After All These Years, Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover, Late in the Evening

Show #2
In the Stone, Let's Groove, September

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Enrollment: 70

Show #1
I Can't Turn You Loose, Soul Man, Soul Finger, Think

Show #2
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Uptown Girl, Only the Good Die Young, New York State of Mind

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Enrollment: 17

The Inaugural Show
You Really Got Me, Watermelon Man, Mercy Mercy Mercy

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