By Joshua Herr
Ludwig Field can hold 7,000 passionate soccer fans on game days.
Many are students, and some are part of a group known as ‘The Crew’ – Maryland men’s soccer’s passionate fan club.
With students back on campus, The Crew has been in full force during recent home games, creating an unforgettable atmosphere at Ludwig Field.
In a 4-3 win over Delaware on Sep. 4, The Crew showed best how it supports the Terps.
Every time Maryland conceded a goal, they responded by chanting “Let’s Go, Maryland!” to cheer on the team and bring the energy back to Ludwig.
Maryland retook the lead moments later, and the fans turned that Friday night into a frenzy. They waved their scarves high in the air and spun them, jumped around, and made as much noise as possible.
This is only the surface of what The Crew contributes to game day.
This year, senior Quinn Savitt serves as the president of The Crew and oversees its operations.
“We come up with chants for every game,” Savitt said.
He also organizes tailgates that start hours before the game and works closely with the marketing team on giveaways.
Wesley Cronise, the vice president, described the tailgates as “a fun way to build a bond with a lot of the student community.”
Members do in-depth research on their chants, getting inspiration from Premier League clubs such as Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, according to Cronise.
Cronise explains that they actually have a member committed directly to the research process.
His name is Mats Raman, a senior who researches not only other fan clubs but also the opposing team the Terps face.
Their main objective is to make it as difficult as humanly possible for the other team to win at Ludwig.
Statistics show that Ludwig is one of the most daunting places to play in the NCAA. Maryland is one of just two schools in the nation to record three 5,000-plus attendance games over the past two seasons.
This number has already grown this year, with record-high attendance driven by the Terps’ success. Throughout the 2025 season, 43,065 fans attended a game at Ludwig. The Crew led the nation in attendance for any student section.
New students are eager to jump in and join the fun right away.
“It’s been a blast,” said freshman Brady Hampson about the energy in the student section.
It can also be a bit challenging and a little confusing at first. Freshman Elliott Jones said he is still learning the different chants but wants “to get into that type of culture on this campus.”
In Maryland’s 3-2 win over Georgetown, The Crew followed their game-day routine.
It started 60 minutes before kickoff, with The Crew filing into Ludwig Field. Thirty minutes before kickoff, those fans began distracting the opposing team during practice. With 15 minutes remaining before kickoff, the bleachers were already full.
National Anthem traditions occur five minutes before kickoff. The members of The Crew shout the words “Red and O” and replace “home of the brave” with “home of the Terps.”
When the lineups are announced, The Crew cheers for each Maryland player and chants “Sasho” after head coach Sasho Cirovski is called.
At Kickoff, Savitt introduces himself and “his crew” to the opposing goalkeeper.
During the first half, The Crew showers the stands with fan-favorite chants like “When the Terps Go Marching In,” “Everywhere We Follow,” and “The Terps are Gonna Win.”
These chants draw on well-known tunes like “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “In the Jungle.”
The Crew switches sides at halftime to match the net Maryland is shooting on.
During the second half, Savitt reintroduces himself and “his crew” to the opposing goalkeeper, continuing the energy built in the first half.
If the Terps win, The Crew meets them on the sides of the field as they partake in the tradition of “The Crew Run,” where they celebrate with the fans who cheered them on.
This is only a basic script, as every game for The Crew is unique.
But one thing will never change: their tight-knit relationship with the team.
“I don’t think it works without each side being involved with each other,” said Savitt, about how The Crew interacts with the players.
It is very common to see a player who scores a goal go right to The Crew to celebrate, or for the goalkeeper, Laurin Mack, to signal to The Crew to get hyped up.
“They are always here to support us. We are always here to support them,” Savitt said.
