The Troy Trojan faithful had the chance to get up-close and personal with their favorite student-athletes Saturday afternoon.

The Troy athletic department hosted Meet the Trojans at Trojan Arena and the faithful rushed in to meet members of the football, soccer, volleyball and cheerleading squads.

“It’s been neat being able to meet the cheerleaders and cross-country team members,” san Trojan fan Dwayne Norman who came with his wife and four children.

Saturday’s event was more than getting autographs for fans like the Normans, it was about building relationships with them and connecting with them well beyond the grandstands.

“They are really nice to our children and they encourage us to come to games and hang out,” Norman said. “It’s kind of neat being able to build relationships. I didn’t realize we had so many new cheerleaders. We were able to welcome them; it’s been fun.”

The students started classes just last Wednesday. Three days later, they took time to greet the fans in record numbers. The event, which was scheduled for 1:00 to 3:00, had to be extended because of the high demand.

“We look forward to this every year,” Norman said. “We can tell that it has grown significantly. There are a lot more people here than in years past; it’s something that our children look forward to.”

With all the success that the Trojans have had in athletics lately, the Trojan faithful are showing their excitement.

“You can tell there is a lot of momentum throughout,” Norman said. “All the sports are building off one another. It’s a really exciting time to be a Trojan fan.”