Providence Student Section Chants ‘F— the Mormons,’ Athletic Director Apologizes

On December 3, 2024, the BYU Men’s Basketball team played an away game against the Providence Friars in Rhode Island. A now-viral video taken from the game shows the Providence student section chanting, “F— the Mormons.”

Many were outraged by the chants made by the students in the video, even prompting Utah Senator Mike Lee to chime in.

After the backlash, Steven Napolillo, the Providence Athletic Director, issued an apology for the chants made by the Providence student body in a post on X:

“I want to apologize to @BYUMBB, their coaches & institution for unacceptable chants by our student body tonight. Once it was brought to my attention, I went to the student body & had them stop. That does not represent who Providence College is & what we stand for. We are sorry.”

Indeed, this is not the first incident of vulgar chants being hurled against members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at BYU sporting events. During a 2022 football game, Oregon Ducks fans chanted, also, “F— the Mormons,” throughout the three-hour game.

Contrary to popular belief, not all students at BYU are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Indeed, some players on the BYU Basketball team are not members but have promised to obey the school’s honor code. It is also worth pointing out that Providence is a private Catholic university.

After all, we can applaud Steven for taking a stand and correcting his student section; it is a difficult task not only to quell the passions of a crowd but also to apologize on their behalf to the public. Unfortunately, this isn’t new or original: it’s just tiresome. I am grateful for Steven’s courage and hope that next time the Cougars take on the Friars, BYU might take the win while avoiding vulgar chants about our faith.

Written by: Jax McKinney

Senior Contributor and Social Media Director at the Cougar Chronicle

The Cougar Chronicle is an independent student-run newspaper and is not affiliated with Brigham Young University or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Cover photo: https://lawlessrepublic.com/byu-basketball-gets-stomped-by-providence-in-the-big-east-big-12-battle