Xavier’s newest addition, The Swamp, is bringing together athletes and students and creating an even stronger sense of community at the school.
At the 2026 Fall Sports Rally, track and field coach Jarret Eaton shared exciting news about creating an XCP student section. He aired a video showing students sharing their opinions on whether Xavier should have a student section and what it would be called if it did.
Students offered a wide variety of suggestions, such as Gator Nation and Gator Crossing, before ultimately landing on The Swamp.
The video, posted on The Swamp’s official Instagram, showed how student input made a difference in creating the student group.
The inspiration for The Swamp comes from a need for more peer-support at home games and athletic events.
“It was mostly parents and families coming to the games,” said athletic director Tui Selvaratnam.
Eaton later explained that he too saw what Xavier needed and decided to create a student section to bring more community and spirit to Xavier’s home games.
He wanted to model the student section on the spirit and energy found at Xavier’s famous sports rallies started by Sister Lynn Winsor ‘61.
He even introduced a new cheer to the pep rally, which begins with a steady clapping rhythm and the chant “XCP” getting progressively faster.
“I am aiming to fully integrate The Swamp into Xavier’s culture and collaborate with as many different XCP clubs and organizations as possible,” Eaton said.
The Swamp has not only brought more media and participation to home games, but it has also positively impacted Xavier’s sports teams.
Brooklyn Munter ‘29, a member of the XCP cross country team, said that The Swamp’s social media coverage and support for the team has made her feel more represented as a student-athlete.
For the future of The Swamp, Eaton hopes to host special events and activities at upcoming fall sports senior nights.
He is currently planning tailgates before each senior night and working to make each event fun and exciting for seniors, students, athletes and families.
Eaton encourages all students to join the planned activities, come to games and support their fellow Gators throughout the sports seasons as The Swamp.
