Among the painted faces and cheering fans in the packed Hilton Coliseum crowd, there’s a group of tiny tots who are watching star point guard Stacy Frese almost as intently as head coach Bill Fennelly.

There are nearly 2,000 members of the Lil’ Clone Club, an exclusive club for ISU student-athletes’ smallest fans. With membership up from last year’s 530 participants, the Lil’ Clone Club offers many incentives for the club members, who range from toddler-age to the eighth grade.

Christina Rende, promotions coordinator of athletic events, said the club began as a fan club run by, and specifically for, women’s basketball at Iowa State. Because of this origin, ISU women’s basketball is where the Lil’ Clone Club’s heart is at.

“Women’s basketball is really supportive of the group because that’s where it began,” Rende said.

Fennelly raves about the kiddie club, which he said boosts team morale and leads the pack of Cyclone fans with their cheers.

“I think that it’s great,” Fennelly said of the Lil’ Clone Club. “It is nice to see future ISU students and families together rooting for the team and having fun.”

Rende said there are many benefits for Lil’ Clone Club members, such as a reserved seating section at women’s games behind the basket, a certificate, membership card, T-shirt, team player guides and newsletters.

And beginning this year, the club will encompass all sports except men’s basketball and football, making it an integral part of the ISU community.

“We are trying to get kids into our events,” Rende said. “They really get the fans going.”

Fennelly said the ISU players enjoy the kids just as much as the fans and appreciate the support and enthusiasm that they receive from them.

“After the games, the players will hang around and talk with the kids,” he said. “The players love it.”

Linda Gamble has a daughter, Erin, 6, and a son, Jesse, 4, who are both Lil’ Clones. She said her children have attended several women’s basketball games and gymnastic meets as well as a Lil’ Clone Club pizza party.

Gamble said her children are enjoying being “Lil’ Cyclones.”

“This is our first year with it, and they’ve had a wonderful time with it,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for them to be involved with collegiate athletics.”