Troy’s recent sports success isn’t just good for the university, it is great for the city as well.

Earlier this year the Troy football team cracked the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in school history, also marking the first time any Sun Belt team had made the ranking. The team finished with 10 wins for the first time in history and finished on a high note with a win in the Dollar General Bowl over Ohio.

Now, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams have won the Sun Belt tournament and are set to compete in their respective NCAA tournaments.

The men’s team in particular is set to bring major attention to the university and the city.

Millions of Americans have already seen the name “Troy” as they scrambled to fill out their brackets for March Madness, even if most of them likely filled in Duke as the winner of the Trojans’ first round matchup.

Even a dig at the team on Wednesday night’s episode of the Jimmy Fallon show has garnered attention for the team.

Media outlets across the state have picked up the response of many students and alumni of the university to the segment, which asked “Who goes to Troy? Nobody goes to Troy.” Almost immediately, Troy fans reacted with the hashtag #igototroy and posted messages praising the university.

Not all publicity is good publicity– but most publicity is, and every sports team at Troy seems to be doing their part to bring publicity to the area lately.

And it extends beyond the sports teams. The Troy Chapter of Alpha Tau Omega made national news last week after completing their 123-mile “Walk Hard for Heroes” journey from Troy to Panama City Beach on Wednesday.

With every little success Troy’s students and teams have, the more and more the state and even the country hear the name “Troy.”

Who knows how many people went to Google and searched “Troy” in an attempt to check the team’s stats and see if the team has any upset potential lying hidden beneath the surface? Who knows how many people saw Troy in the Top 25 last fall and reconsidered the value of the city and college.

Even if the success doesn’t bring people into town or spike enrollment at the university, it certainly makes the students, alumni, faculty, staff and the residents of this great town proud.

And for that, we are truly grateful.

Jacob Holmes is a staff writer with The Messenger. Contact him at jacob.holmes@troymessenger.com.