DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Cheerleading took seventh place in the 2015 National Cheerleaders Association Collegiate Cheer & Dance Championships on Friday, April 10, at The Ocean Center. This was the first-ever NCA Nationals competition for the B-CU Cheer squad in school history.
Competing in the Small Coed Intermediate Division I Challenge Cup, the Wildcats' advanced to Friday's round with a qualifying score in Thursday's performance held at the band shell on the beach.
"We knew with the score being back at zero, we had nothing to lose, but everything to gain," admitted Becky Woodson, co-head coach for the Wildcats. "We had one error that cost us a couple of higher placements. However, all we can ask is for their best, and that they keep improving every time out. They really did commit to putting out their best and making the school and themselves proud."
Friday's Bethune-Cookman routine went just over two minutes, and featured several stunts and a dance portion to conclude the routine.
In all, that allowed the Wildcats to finish seventh in the nation, sparking enthusiasm from Becky Woodson on the future of the program, and how far it has come in a short period of time.
B-CU second-year co-head coaches John Woodson and Becky Woodson had a dream and vision when they took over the program prior to the 2013-14 season. That dream is starting to become reality more and more each day. And the first step occurred Friday, as the Wildcats competed in the school's first-ever NCA Nationals finals in their home city of Daytona Beach.
"I'm proud that we made history as being the first team from B-CU to ever attend the biggest national collegiate competition in history," said Becky Woodson afterwards. "To be holding our own against some high-caliber teams is a great achievement. I know this first competition inspired our student-athletes for next season. We really are driving the program in the right direction, and know that the best is yet to come."
According to the men and women of the team, "only the strongest survive". This proving, the Wildcats are getting stronger in the area of cheerleading.
Also competing in this year's NCA Nationals were squads from all across the nation including Kent State, Georgia Southern, Missouri, Wright State, Texas-San Antonio, SMU, UTEP, Middle Tennessee State, Wyoming, Houston, UMKC, Northern Colorado, Michigan, Jacksonville State and Iowa State.
Fellow Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) institution Morgan State also competed in the NCA Nationals, representing the MEAC as the annual cheerleading champions held at this year's MEAC Basketball Tournament in Norfolk, Virginia.
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