Anaheim, Calif. - The Centenary Competitive Cheer team is bringing home three national runner-up finishes after recording another on Sunday to go with the two that the Maroon and White won on Saturday at the United Spirit Association Collegiate Championships at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Centenary, which earned two runner ups and an additional third-place finish on Saturday as it competed in the college game day division where they were crowned national runner-up in the fight song and band chant division and brought home third place in the situational sideline division. The team posted season and program-high scores in each routine earning a 94.9/100 in fight song, 96.4/100 in situational sideline, and 96.8/100 in band chant.
In the fight song division, there were 13 teams that competed in the one-minute routine. The teams are not divided by school division or team size and Centenary was the second smallest team to take the floor. The 15-member squad clinched the runner-up spot beating out teams from College of the Sequoias (13th), Jessup University (12th), Cal State San Marcos (11th), Cal Poly Pomona (10th), Western Oregon University (ninth), Central Washington University & Westcliff University (seventh), College of Southern Nevada (sixth), University of Idaho (fifth), University of New Mexico (fourth), and California Baptist University (third). Centenary was edged by Western Washington University for the top spot.
In the band chant division, there were 12 teams who took the floor and Centenary was able to claim second place spot over College of the Sequoias (12th), University of Idaho (11th), Western Oregon (10th), Fresno Pacific University (ninth), Central Washington (eighth), Western Washington (seventh), Jessup University (sixth), Cal Poly Pomona (fifth), University of New Mexico (fourth), and Palomar Community College (third). California Baptist captured the title over Centenary.
For the situational sideline division, there were 11 teams taking the floor. Centenary brought home the bronze over Arizona Western (11th), Jessup University (10th), College of Southern Idaho (ninth), College of the Sequoias (eighth), University of Idaho (seventh), Cal Poly Pomona (sixth), Fresno Pacific University (fifth), and Central Washington (fourth). Western Washington claimed the second-place spot over Centenary and University of New Mexico captured the title.
To round out the weekend, eight selected team members competed in the four-year College Small Coed Intermediate Show Cheer division where there were four competitors. After two days of competition with a prelims and finals, Centenary earned the runner-up title with a score of 91.9 which was .6 away from first place. The team surpassed California State University Northridge (third) by 1.6 and California State University San Bernardino (fourth) by 2.4.
"Words cannot describe the pride I have for this team," said Centenary head coach Kaylee King. The amount of work they put into these routines since July is astounding. They poured there all into making them as perfect as possible. To bring home program high scores at nationals is really unheard of. Not only that, but they competed against schools of much larger size and truly stood their own. They were hungry and it showed. For a program who's only been competitive for two seasons, runner-up is something to be very proud of. We said from the beginning, if we leave it all on the mat and have no regrets, then the rest will happen how it happens and that's exactly what they did. They walked off with no regrets. What a statement to make as our last year of a competitive cheer team."
Centenary athletics announced the addition of STUNT in the 2024-2025 Academic year back in November, with competition to begin Spring 2025, and is the first collegiate program in the State of Louisiana.
See full release here: https://www.gocentenary.com/general/2023-24/releases/20231111pwq5s7
See the complete Cheer season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/cheer/2023-24/schedule
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