Utah powerhouse cheer programs brought home some hardware from Anaheim and Daytona Beach as Brigham Young University, Weber State and Utah Valley University competed at the USA (United Spirit Association) and NCA (National Cheerleaders Association) competitions.
Back-to-back national champions
The BYU cheer team knocked off Army West Point with a score of 96.39 to secure back-to-back national championships in Game Day Division 1A.
BYU head coach Jocelyn Allan says she takes pride in showcasing the amazing game day experience BYU offers at competitions.
“I get to travel all over the country to these different schools, and now in the Big 12, we see a lot of big game day atmosphere, and I can honestly say that I think BYU does it better than absolutely anybody,” she told Mitch Harper on "Cougar Tracks." “We just wanted to make sure that we stayed true to that and that we were able to show how big of a deal it’s become at BYU.”
The championship routine featured flips, drum lines and BYU mascot Cosmo the Cougar but did not fully capture the BYU game day experience, according to Allan. We would need fireworks, fire dancers and drones in the sky, Allan joked, but notwithstanding, “we did a really good job of showing just how incredible and how much it’s evolved, how far our game day experience has come at BYU.”
Since joining the Big 12 almost three years ago, Allan felt the need to go bigger and better, to step up, just as the other sports programs at BYU like football and basketball have done.
“What else can we do that’s bigger, that’s better, that shows that we are where we belong?”
The mindset has clearly elevated BYU cheer as they have captured their second straight Game Day National Championship at Daytona.
Weber State continues its dominance
Weber State was in very familiar territory in the Daytona competitions as the large coed team took the crown in Division I, making it the team’s ninth straight year of winning a national championship.
With a national championship for the small coed team as well, Weber State claimed its third straight year where the program has won a grand national championship in both advanced divisions, large coed and small coed.
In a post on X, Weber State Athletics wrote, “GREAT! GREAT! GREAT! For the third straight year, Weber State Cheer has won two Grand National Championships in Large and Small Coed! Nine straight National Championships for Large Coed! An incredible dynasty.”
Competing for such a prestigious program was not always in the plans for some of the team members. Cayli Niederhauser, who says Weber State is in her “backyard” from where she grew up, never imagined she would get the opportunity and cherishes the relationships she has with others on the team.
“The feeling of even walking off that mat, before we even knew if we won or not, we had already won. As a team, it was the most amazing feeling, we all have each other’s backs at every single moment,” she told Fox13.
It was Zach Adams’ first year competing, who called it an “out of body experience” when he got to hoist the trophy.
“I never thought I’d be able to compete and do it, but we finally got there and did it,” he said to Fox13.
13 Wildcats accomplished even more as they represented Team USA at the International Cheer Union World Cheerleading Championships. The roster made up of roughly a third of Wildcats took gold at the competition in Orlando on April 24.
UVU posts two zero-deduction routines
Posting two zero-deduction routines in the USA Four-Year College All-Girl Show Cheer Advanced division in Anaheim, UVU captured its second consecutive championship on Feb. 22, a month and a half before the squad took second and third place in Florida.
12 rookies making their competitive debut could not deter the team from posting two perfect routines.
“UVU is incredibly proud of these student-athletes,” said program director Trista Tempest. “They are not only outstanding cheerleaders but also remarkable individuals of character and integrity.
Full results (NCA):
BYU
- First place, Game Day Division 1A: 96.39
- Third place, Advanced Small Coed Division 1A: 89.63
Weber State
- First place, Advanced Large Coed Division I: 97.00
- First Place, Advanced Small Coed Division I: 96.01
UVU
- Second place, Game Day Division I: 93.88
- Third place, Advanced All Girl Division I: 94.06
Salt Lake Community College
- Fourth place, Advanced Large Coed Junior College: 80.30
