New York University invited its students to "Tear It Up!" for Violet athletics programs, and now a national association of student affairs administrators has honored the program for boosting attendance at games.

The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators awarded the university's department of athletics, intramurals and recreation its NASPA Excellence Gold Award in the category of "athletics, recreation, physical fitness, non-varsity sports."

The "Tear It Up!" program resulted from a December 2005 campus meeting to discuss ways of connecting the university's diverse student groups while building fan support and creating a more exciting game environment for Violet athletics. Participants included student affairs and athletics administrators, athletics team leaders and captains, and members of the school's student-athlete advisory committee.

The program began two months later at a basketball doubleheader, which attracted more than 2,100 fans to the game -- 92 percent better than the 2005-06 season's average attendance -- with free food, nonalcoholic beverages and T-shirts bearing the "Tear It Up!" logo.

The concept also was employed at men's and women's soccer and volleyball matches, with each of those sports' designated "Tear It Up!" games attracting crowds at least 24 percent bigger than season averages.

The campaign continued into the 2006-07 basketball season, where three designated men's games averaged 2,418 fans compared to 1,002 for the season, and the women's team, which ultimately advanced to the Division III national semifinals, averaged 1,648 fans at its designated games compared to 1,066 for the season.

"Receiving the NASPA award really says something about our student body and its commitment to the athletics programs at NYU," said Noah D. LeFevre, associate director of athletics, who established the program. "It is a true honor for one of our promotional programs to be recognized nationally from an organization as terrific as NASPA."

With the recognition, the university gained the additional distinction of becoming the first institution to win three NASPA National Awards of Excellence in the same year.

NASPA presents the awards to recognize the contributions of members who are "transforming higher education through outstanding programs, innovative services and effective administration." The organization also honored NYU with an Excellence Gold Award in the category of "off campus, commuter, nontraditional, graduate, professional" programs and an Excellence Bronze Award in the category of "international, multicultural, cultural, LGBTQ, spirituality, disability" programs.