MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — Just eight years after the Pride of West Virginia made its debut in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, they’re going back to represent the Mountain State again in one of the biggest parades of the year.

According to a release from Macy’s, the Pride will be one of nine other marching bands selected out of hundreds nationwide to march in the 98th edition of the parade.

Staff with both Macy’s and the university worked in secret with the Pride’s director Cheldon Williams in order to arrange the band’s attendance with the band only learning about it just before WVU’s Saturday matchup against Pitt.

The Pride previously attended the parade in 2016 as the opening performance and was the only collegiate band to participate.