Boise State brought six new student leaders together over the summer to reignite the student section, now known as The Stampede, for the 2026-27 academic year.
Junior, Ella Gendreau and graduate assistant, Mateo Bertagnolli were appointed as president and vice president of the student section respectively, hoping to combat the previous lack of attendance at Boise State sporting events.
“Athletics are the one thing that you can bring anybody from any place, any demographic, any club, and everyone is one because we’re all rooting and supporting the same people,” Gendreau said. “We want to bring that back.”
The president and vice president led their new team into research mode over the summer. From research studies and interviewing athletic department staff, to updating music choices and brainstorming gameday elements. Bertagnolli says their plan will implement a fresh, unrecognizable student experience.
That experience began on Aug 11. 2026, when the former student section’s branding as “The Corral,” was officially changed on social media to “The Stampede.”
“There was a decision made by those students to rebrand the student section entirely,” said Evan McKee, a sports marketing graduate assistant in the athletic department. “If you think about the literal imagery of a corral, it’s like reigning in horses … the imagery of a stampede is much more vivid, intense, aggressive and chaotic.”
Gendreau began her vision when a chaotic student section fueled the men’s basketball team at their first home game against Clemson. She notes this moment near the start of her freshman year drove her to become president of Boise State’s student section.
“I had never experienced high-fiving the strangers next to me, and then becoming friends with them over one specific game,” Gendreau said. “Just because you’re there to support the same people creates this amazing community.”
Vice President Mateo Bertagnolli is a die-hard fan of Boise State athletics. He was born bleeding blue as a third generation Idahoan with two Bronco alumni as parents.
Bertagnolli still remembers his first Boise State football game, the 2014 Fiesta Bowl, which the Broncos won over Arizona. He remembers the cheering, the unity and the place he instinctively called home.
Mateo rushed to the athletic department as soon as he became a student at Boise State in 2024. He has worked at the Stueckle Sky Center, interning for Bronco Nation News, and sweeping the basketball court in Extramile Arena.
“It’s always been bleeding blue and being blue collar,” Bertagnolli said.
In previous years, Gendreau and Bertagnolli stood on the frontlines cheering as fans. Now, they plan on putting freshmen first while stepping up as leaders in the center of the crowd.
Each member of The Stampede aims to put the freshmen “front row” and “enjoying it the way we got to enjoy it when we were super young and creating that meaningful memory,” Bertangolli said. He and Gendreau work alongside a team of four other student leaders to drive their vision forward — Kadyn Easter, Aleia Petersen, Delanie O’Brien and Abigale Bibikov.
Many freshmen learned about The Stampede at this year’s convocation through a heads or tails tournament led by the president and vice president. In a packed Extramile Arena, the student leaders got a first glance of what they hope The Stampede will become.
“The [freshmen] are not scared of just being rowdy,” Bertagnolli said. “They have no social embarrassment, so they will do anything.”
The Stampede’s plan to recreate their favourite moments — chaotic crowds, high-fiving strangers and an environment that sparks connection — centers on boosting attendance at basketball games.
When speaking to students around campus and attending involvement events, they make it clear that every student who steps foot on campus rides with The Stampede.
“We’re hoping to bring an atmosphere that is unlike no other,” Bertagnolli said. “Something that engages all walks of life on campus — between Greek life, between other clubs and organizations, club sports and especially our athletic programs and all of our 18 D1 athletic sports.”
The Stampede said big changes are to be expected for the 2026-27 year and the name change is only one step in the process of igniting a new culture for students at Boise State.
As six new student leaders redesign the student experience, Gendreau and Bertagnolli made one thing clear.
“If you haven’t been to a game with The Stampede, you haven’t been at all,” Bertagnolli said.
