From IDS Reports
IU’s Crimson Cheerleaders captured their fourth national championship in five years for Division 1-A at the UCA College Cheer and Dance Championships on Sunday night in Orlando, Florida.
The Hoosiers defeated schools such as Alabama, Rutgers, San Diego State, Western Kentucky, Minnesota, Colorado and Maryland, among others in the two-day competition.
“This is a truly amazing accomplishment for the program,” IU Coach Julie Horine said in a statement. “The girls worked tirelessly perfecting this routine. They just kept getting better and better, gaining more confidence the more they practiced during December and early January.”
IU was able to avenge last year’s second-place finish at Nationals where Alabama claimed the 2015 title. The Crimson Tide finished runner-up to the Hoosiers in this season’s competition.
This year’s judges were enamored by the Hoosiers’ routine, Horine said.
“The judges saw some of the most dynamic routines in the all-girl cheer competition’s history,” Horine said. “They had tweeted after Indiana’s semifinal final performance, calling the routine amazingly difficult and fast-paced. Everything came together, and the 20 squad members on the mat Sunday night really hit the routine during the final time performed when it counted. I’m just so very proud of our program and the accomplishment of four national titles and two national runner-up finishes the past six competitions.”
IU Cheerleading will present its fourth national cheerleading championship trophy at an upcoming IU men’s basketball game at Assembly Hall.
Teddy Bailey
