The USI cheer team poses at the UCA & UDA College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championship January 15. The competition took place at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. The cheer team placed fourth at nationals, which is the highest since 2014.
Anthony Rawley, Staff Writer January 31, 2023
The USI cheer team placed fourth in the finals of the Open Small Coed Division competition at UCA & UDA College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championship January 15. The competition took place at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. The cheer team finished with a final event score of 80.4 in the finals after placing fourth in the semifinal round with a final event score of 80.3. The fourth place ranking is the highest the team has placed since 2014. The cheer team previously placed fourth in 2021 at a virtual competition during the COVID-19 pandemic. Megan Ringer, cheer head coach, said the team always placed around the top five. “We’re just trying to build the program and work on improving our technique and our skills and our difficulty so that we can work every year and hopefully that championship,” Ringer said. “I think top three would definitely be an awesome goal for us, and that will definitely make history,” – Halie Owen, senior cheerleader Hallie Owen, senior cheerleader, said she would like to finish in the top three. “I think the top three would definitely be a fantastic goal for us, and that will definitely make history,” Owen said. Ringer said members of the cheer team come with different backgrounds and different experiences. Ringer said some members of the USI cheer team faced nervousness during the competition because they may not have performed at nationals before, while others had and were more comfortable. Owen also said that the team’s performance this year was different because some members had not experienced before, and because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ringer said she will replace nine seniors when they graduate. “A goal would be to reach and maintain the new athletes as quickly as possible, so that our skills do not suffer, and that we grow and acquire new skills. – Megan Ringer, head coach “We’re going to build in a sense, try to get new athletes to fill the experienced positions,” Ringer said. “A goal would be to reach the new athletes and reach them as quickly as possible, so that our skills do not suffer, and that we continue to grow and acquire new skills.” According to Varsity spirit, Open Small Coed Division competition at UCA & UDA College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championship is “the most prestigious collegiate national championship in the country.” Ringer said she was happy with the cheer team’s fourth place ranking, but she still wants to get better. “It’s motivation to recruit new athletes and improve the program overall,” Ringer said.
The USI cheer team placed fourth in the finals of the Open Small Coed Division competition at UCA & UDA College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championship January 15. The competition took place at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.
The cheer team finished with a final event score of 80.4 in the finals after placing fourth in the semifinal round with a final event score of 80.3. The fourth place ranking is the highest the team has placed since 2014. The cheer team previously placed fourth in 2021 at a virtual competition during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Megan Ringer, cheer head coach, said the team always placed around the top five.
“We’re just trying to build the program and work on improving our technique and our skills and our difficulty so that we can work every year and hopefully that championship,” Ringer said.
I think the top three would definitely be an awesome goal for us, and that will definitely make history,”
– Halie Owen, senior cheerleader
Hallie Owen, senior cheerleader, said she would like to place in the top three.
“I think the top three would definitely be a fantastic goal for us, and that will definitely make history,” Owen said.
Ringer said members of the cheer team come with different backgrounds and different experiences.
Ringer said some members of the USI cheer team faced nervousness during the competition because they may not have performed at nationals before, while others had and were more comfortable.
Owen also said that the team’s performance this year was different because some members had not experienced before, and because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ringer said she will replace nine seniors when they graduate.
A goal would be to reach and maintain the new athletes as quickly as possible, so that our skills do not suffer, and that we continue to grow and acquire new skills.
– Megan Ringer, Cheer Head Coach
“We’re going to build in a sense, try to get new athletes to fill the experienced positions,” Ringer said. “A goal would be to reach the new athletes and reach them as quickly as possible, so that our skills do not suffer, and that we continue to grow and acquire new skills.”
According to Varsity spirit, Open Small Coed Division competition at UCA & UDA College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championship is “the most prestigious collegiate national championship in the country.”
Ringer said she was happy with the cheer team’s fourth place ranking, but she still wants to get better.
“It’s motivation to recruit new athletes and improve the program overall,” Ringer said.
