Meet the men behind USI's new Fight Song, "Fight On, Screaming Eagles"

Better late than never

It's a good thing Zach Price '19 is a multi-tasker. And musically inclined. Thinking fast didn't hurt, either, when he realized time was running out to beat a deadline that would forever change his legacy at USI. Instead of panicking, Price grabbed a pen and got to work on the third floor of Rice Library.

He'd thought about submitting lyrics for USI's new Fight Song weeks earlier, at the suggestion of Caylin Blockley, assistant director of Alumni Relations and Volunteer USI. "And I completely forgot until the day before," Price admits. "I just started writing on a couple pieces of paper, and that was about it. I went through and took the pieces I liked to see if there was a flow."

A couple of hours and some accounting homework later, Price not only found a flow, but composed the winning entry in a competition to celebrate the USI Foundation's 50th Anniversary and capture the spirit of the University.

Fight on, Screaming Eagles!
Fly your colors brave and true.
Relentless and storied, lead us to glory,
Fight for the Red, White and Blue
(Rah! Rah! Rah!)

Filled with strength and honor,
Show your spirit far and wide! We
Ever hail thee, on to vict'ry
Our Southern Indiana pride.
U-S-I

Bigger than a song

Price, who plays guitar and piano and enjoys experimenting with several other instruments, has written song lyrics in the past, but those were just for him. Fight On, Screaming Eagles is for everyone who is-or will be-part of USI's history.

"I never would have thought that I would have been able to do anything remotely lasting in the grand University scheme of it all," says Price, an Evansville native and Mater Dei High School graduate. "I wrote a fight song for a University that I am passionate about. I've been here six years, and now I'm kind of part of its life."

However significant the Fight Song may be, in those six years, Price has accomplished something immeasurably more important. He's kept going.

"I was really close to dropping out a few times, until I got involved" he says.

After some "rough years," Price developed connections through Southern Indiana Dance Marathon, the Student Alumni Association, Special Olympics, his fraternity and a Welcome Week leader who "completely changed" his outlook on life and pushed him to see the positive and be more positive. "The people I've met along the way, friends, (who are) family now, I don't really even know what I would be doing right now if I wasn't here (at USI)," says Price.

The secret's out

Harder than writing the Fight Song, Price says, has been keeping it a secret since he found out his lyrics were chosen in June. "I'll be honest, I told my parents," Price admits. "They're the ones that actually opened the letter. They sent me a picture of it, so when I got the text, I was like, 'This is crazy.' And when I got home and read it again-and having the piece of paper in my hand-that was really cool. But then, dang it, I just wanted to tell everyone."

Price's secret will be officially revealed on Saturday, February 16, when the new Fight Song is publicly debuted during the USI men's and women's Homecoming basketball games. It's hard for him to imagine exactly what that once-in-a-lifetime moment will feel like. "Just goosebumps, I guess," he says.

Making the music

Price may not be the only one with goosebumps as fans sing and clap along to Fight On, Screaming Eagles. Tom Mace, USI's longtime pep band director, arranged the University's current Fight Song and created the music and pep band arrangement to accompany Price's lyrics. "I wrote it over the summer and have been rehearsing it with the band since mid-September. We are all ready to have it out in the USI community," he says. Saturday will be a mix of excitement, nerves and pride-with "an extra helping of relief."

Mace says his goal was to make the song as "singable" and "cheerable" as possible. "I have absolutely witnessed times when an energized crowd led by an energized school song can turn a game around," he says. One important person is already on board with his vision. "I got to hear the new Fight Song," says Price, who had a certain rhythm in mind when he wrote the lyrics. "I'm very excited about how it turned out. Now I'm just hoping everyone else enjoys it as well."

"Legacy means a lot to me and the band," Mace explains. "The recording of the previous school song was made in the early 2000s. When I see alumni from that band now, all these years later, I tell them their work is still being heard at events today. Indiana colleges have many great fight songs that have been around for many, many years, and I hope that the new song joins them in longevity."

The perfect ending

As he penned the final line of the Fight Song almost a year ago, Price landed on the phrase:

We ever hail thee, on to vict'ry
Our Southern Indiana pride.

"That's been a big thing recently," he explains. "There's this sense of pride and unity that you might not get at a 40,000-student school. Being that smaller family and being proud of the excellence at a small school, that was the finisher."

It's hard to script a perfect ending-especially to a new tradition. But in four words, Price captures a feeling that is both unique and universal to every Screaming Eagle.  

With help from the new Fight Song, "our Southern Indiana pride" will be on full display Saturday-and every day-for decades to come.  

From the Foundation

"Fight On, Screaming Eagles is a great example of cooperation and collaboration here at USI. As part of the USI Foundation's 50th anniversary in 2018, it was a pleasure to serve as a catalyst for this new Fight Song, and it comes at exactly the right time in the University's history. As we open the new 4,800 seat Screaming Eagles Arena, we have marvelous easy-to-sing-lyrics chosen by committee in a blind competition. It was then set to powerful music that will spur our athletes to victory and allow spectators to catch the Screaming Eagles spirit! Special thanks to Zach Price for the superb lyrics and to Tom Mace for the upbeat music." -David A. Bower, Vice President for Development, President, USI Foundation