From Davis to DCI Gold
Three UC Davis Students Help Blue Devils B Secure First Championship Since 2016
While many college students spent their summer taking classes, working jobs, or relaxing, three UC Davis students spent theirs logging 12-hour rehearsal days under the summer sun, sleeping on gymnasium floors, and perfecting a 12-minute Drum Corps International (DCI) show down to the fraction of a second.
This past summer, Lily Lou (Mellophone), Michelle Herrera (Drum Major), and David Elgourt (Snare Drum) represented both UC Davis and the Blue Devils B Drum and Bugle Corps (BDB) on marching music’s biggest stage. Their journey culminated in a DCI Open Class World Championship title on August 4 in Dayton, Ohio, followed by an encore performance in front of over 26,000 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Road to Gold: Winter Auditions to Summer Grind
The journey to a world championship doesn’t start in the summer heat, it begins in winter. For Lily, Michelle, and David, the process started in December and January with an intensive audition process against hundreds of talented performers from across the country. After securing their spots, they took part in monthly weekend training camps throughout the spring. David balanced his final quarter of senior coursework before graduating in June, while Lily and Michelle managed their midterms, labs, concert band, orchestra, and campus life at UC Davis. Immediately following spring commencement, their commitment escalated to weeks of intensive summer training.
Dominating the West Coast
In July, BDB hit the road for their California tour. Living out of buses and sleeping on gym floors across the state, their hard work paid off immediately as the corps swept every West Coast competition, going undefeated in California, and winning their 4th consecutive SoCal Open Class Championship.
Following a few final weeks of refinement back at MARS (the nickname of the BDB rehearsal facility located in Concord, CA), the corps packed their bags for the Midwest to compete in the DCI Open Class Championships.
The Finals Comeback
Arriving at the DCI Open Class Championships, the stakes were at an all-time high.
After a strong performance in the Preliminary round, BDB found themselves sitting in 3rd place behind two other corps, Gold (Oceanside, California) and The Battalion (Salt Lake City, Utah). Both Gold and The Battalion went on full national tours, which in the world of drum corps, can provide a competitive advantage. With just 24 hours to adjust, BDB locked in for the final push.
On the night of August 4, BDB delivered their highest-scoring, cleanest performance of the entire season, jumping from 3rd to 1st place to capture the DCI Open Class World Championship. It marked the corps' first championship title since 2016.
In addition to taking home the championship trophy, Blue Devils B earned 3 of 5 of the major caption performance awards:
- High Brass Award
- High Percussion Award
- High Visual Award
The Ultimate Spotlight: 26,000 Fans at World Class Semifinals
As the newly crowned Open Class Champions, Lily, Michelle, David, and the corps earned an invitation to perform an encore show during the DCI World Class Semifinals in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Stepping onto the turf inside Lucas Oil Stadium in front of a crowd of over 26,000 spectators, the trio capped off their incredible summer with a celebration of athletic endurance, musical excellence, and teamwork.
Bringing World-Class Discipline Back to UC Davis
The physical and mental demands of world-class drum corps rival any collegiate sport. From enduring grueling physical conditioning to leading dynamic ensembles under high pressure, these performers embody the leadership, resilience, and drive that define the UC Davis community—whether returning to campus for another academic year or stepping off the graduation stage into their next chapter.
Congratulations to Lily, Michelle, and David on a historic, gold-medal season!