On Cal Poly Men’s Soccer game days, one corner of Spanos Stadium belongs to the Mustang Manglers. The group gathers together before the opening whistle and brings energy to each match.
Also known as Cal Poly Ultras, the Mustang Manglers have attended every Cal Poly home game so far this season, bringing a visible new presence to the stands.
The Manglers show up as a large group with Mustang memorabilia, including a drum, flags and loud chants throughout the match.
At the start of each game, they gather in the corner of the stands near the Mustang’s offensive end.
From their spot in the stands, the Manglers remain together for the entire match, drawing the attention of fans and players.
Although the Manglers have recently regained traction, the group was established in 2006. It was active for several years before going quiet, returning on and off since then.
This season, the Mustang Manglers are back and hoping to stay.
The motivation for the group’s return is different than before. A group of Delta Upsilon brothers revived the Manglers after one of their former brothers, Parker Mascott, was promoted from the club soccer team to the Cal Poly Men’s Soccer team for the 2026-27 season.
Mascott said he and his friends often talk about what it would be like if he made the Division I team and how they would show up to support him. When he earned a spot on the roster, that idea became a reality.
Before earning his spot, Mascott played for Cal Poly’s club soccer team. Mascott said he was not recruited to play soccer out of high school and came to Cal Poly primarily for its academics.
He tried out for the club team during his first year but did not make the cut.
“I thought it could have been a mistake, but I just went on with it and was just a normal student for a while,” Mascott said.
During that time, Mascott joined Delta Upsilon and continued playing soccer recreationally and through intramurals.
During his sophomore year, Mascott tried out for the club team again and made the B team. Later that year, he was invited to play with the A team at the national championship tournament in Texas.
Midway through last season, assistant coach Zach Watson invited Mascott to practice with the men’s soccer team.
“I thought it was an amazing opportunity and I might as well go out and try my best,” Mascott said. “Eventually I got invited back for preseason after playing in a few games in the spring. It was a crazy experience for me.”
After several practices with the team, Head Coach Oige Kennedy told Mascott he had made the roster.
“Since then it’s been a blast. I scored a goal. I’ve been playing in games. It’s been a dream come true,” Mascott said.
Mascott said his friends were excited and proud when they heard the news.
“All of them have been showing up to the games and supporting me,” Mascott said.
Although Mascott is no longer affiliated with Delta Upsilon, he remains close with the members.
“We’ve been good friends with him for a while,” said Jackson Pawl, a Mangler and agriculture business sophomore. “When he got the call-up, we took it more as congratulations than we’re losing a friend.”
Since the Manglers’ revival, they have shown their support at every home game, and the group has continued to grow.
“Anybody who wants to support…we’re happy to have you,” said Jovian Hayden, a member of the Manglers and an industrial engineering sophomore. “It’s definitely not limited to Delta Upsilon members.”
Initially formed to support a former Delta Upsilon brother, the group has expanded its support to the entire team and Cal Poly soccer fan base.
The Manglers said a fair amount of planning and preparation takes place throughout the week before game day approaches, but once they are in the stands, they go with the flow.
“As soon as we’re kind of together, it’s spontaneous, and we get the atmosphere going however we’re feeling and adjust to how the game is going,” Hayden said.
The Manglers’ support does not go unnoticed by the team, nor by their opponents. From the stands, members cheer for players throughout the match and hope their energy carries onto the field.
Players often reciprocate that same energy when they point to the Manglers in the stands or come over postgame to high-five the members.
However, the Mustangs are not the only ones noticing the Manglers and their impact on the atmosphere of the stadium.
Pawl said visiting teams have been surprised by the growing number of fans in the stands in recent weeks.
The Manglers are also appreciated amongst the other fans and supporters in attendance at games.
“A lot of [supporters] have come up to us after the game and said things like ‘thanks for being here,’” Pawl said.
Beyond creating a more energetic atmosphere, the Mustang Manglers also hope their presence can make Spanos Stadium a tougher place to play for opponents. Their noise and constant movement make the group difficult to ignore.
For the Manglers, home-field advantage is not only about the score. It is about making players feel supported and turning a regular soccer match into a louder, more unified Cal Poly experience.
“We make sure the players know that we’re here for them; we’re always thinking of being sportsmen like,” said Member Benjamin Muro, a city and regional planning sophomore.
Since returning this season, the Mustang Manglers have brought a renewed student presence to Spanos Stadium.
Members hope to carry that support into future Cal Poly home games and establish a lasting place in the program’s game-day culture.
This story originally appeared in the September printed edition of Mustang News. Check out more stories from the issue here.