Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Cheer Bears Prepare to Compete in NCA Nationals Competition in Daytona Beach Story Links BALTIMORE, Md. (April 9, 2024) — The Morgan State University competitive cheer team is poised to take the stage at the National Cheerleading Association's (NCA) Collegiate Nationals competition. This prestigious event, held from April 10th to 13th at the iconic Daytona Beach, Florida, will witness the team's unwavering determination and athletic prowess. As they prepare to showcase their talents at the world's largest College Cheer and Dance Championship. It's the 28th year that the competition has been staged at the Daytona Beach Bandshell and the Ocean Center where a record turnout of teams is expected to compete for the coveted golden trophy Every year, an awe-inspiring spectacle unfolds as nearly 10,000 participants and more than 470 teams from colleges across the country will grace the stage, accompanied by a throng of 25,000 ardent supporters and spectators. This extraordinary event is a symphony of athleticism, artistry, and unwavering dedication, where teams from across the nation gather to showcase their exceptional skills and passion for cheerleading. Seven (7) Dance Divisions and eleven (11) Cheer Divisions separate teams by designation of All-Girl, Small Co-Ed, or Coed, skill level (Intermediate or Advanced), university enrollment (Division 1, 1A, or II), Junior College, NAIA, Game Day Routine, Rally, or International. Championship winners are also awarded for Partner Stunts, Group Stunts, and Mascot. Stunt Fest Mania is on Saturday. Morgan State is scheduled to perform at 2:34 p.m. Thursday, April 11th in the All-Girl Intermediate Division at the Ocean Center Arena. Their performance time for Friday, April 12th depends on their placing after Thursday's performance. The awards ceremony is scheduled for early Friday evening. Included in the event schedule will be a Saturday night celebration party sponsored by the City of Daytona Beach for participants at the Ocean Center with a DJ, laser light show and various games and activities. "I am proud our city is the cherished home for this annual competition," said Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry. "It not only showcases the incredible talent and dedication of these athletes but also brings a vibrant energy to our community. Daytona Beach welcomes all participants, spectators, and supporters, and we look forward to many more years of hosting this electrifying event." The Cheer Bears will compete against college teams from DePaul, Saint Joseph's, Hampton University, North Carolina-Wilmington, Bethune-Cookman, American, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Bellarmine, Mercer, UC Santa Barbara, Florida A&M, American, Presbyterian, Merrimack, Alabama A&M, University of New Hampshire, and California Baptist. The Cheer Bears were the first All-Girl team from an Historically Black College & University HBCU to finish in the top (3) at NCA College Nationals finals. They finished 3rd in 2008 (Intermediate Division) and 2nd in 2022. In the Advanced Division they finished 3rd in 2014 and 2nd in 2015. Last year's devastating torn Achilles injury on the warm-up mat left an enduring mark on the Cheer Bears. Determined to make amends, the Cheer Bears are looking to redeem themselves with a strong finish at this year's event. The Competition Team has eight (8) rookies and seven (7) returners taking the mat and three (3) rookies as alternates. "This is the first time we are putting such a small team on the mat," said MSU head coach Theresa Gibson. "But Coach Quis (Marquis Johnson) and I feel they have what it takes to make an extremely strong showing. We just need them to stay focused, composed, and sell this routine to the judges. They have to put it all on the mat to make an impact in such a large field of competitors." The NCA & NDA Collegiate National Championship is open to the public and will be live streamed on Varsity TV. For more information about the event and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.varsity.com/nca/school/competitions/college-nationals/. The first College National Championship was held in Dallas, Texas in 1981. The event was moved to the sunny shores of Daytona Beach in 1996, where it has reigned for 14 years against the beautiful backdrop of the Bandshell stage and coastline sunsets. The historical background of our company is significant in that our founder, Lawrence R. Herkimer, held the first cheerleader camp in Huntsville, Texas in 1948. From that simple beginning, a global cheer and dance industry developed. Herkimer, known worldwide as "Herkie", patented the pompon, created the Spirit Stick (still the most coveted spirit and sportsmanship award at summer training camps), and founded the first Cheerleader Supply Company in the early 1950's to meet the need for ready-made uniforms, shoes, poms, megaphones etc. for the quickly growing industry. A crowd favorite of the Championship Awards Ceremony occurs yearly when Herkie takes the stage to personally present the National Championship Trophy to division winners. NCA and NDA have trained literally millions of cheerleaders and dancers across the U. S. and numerous foreign countries. They continue to lead the way with summer cheer and dance camps from coast to coast with curriculum that includes our #1 focus on safety training, technical skills, leadership, teamwork, personal responsibility, integrity, and the development of all-around athletes who will be leaders of tomorrow. The National Cheerleaders Association and National Dance Alliance each year administer six National Championships including the NCA All-Star National Championship, NCA Senior and Junior High School National Championship, NDA National Dance Championship, the NDA All-Star National Championship, and the NCA and NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship in Daytona Beach (the largest college championship in the world). Championships are televised on Fox Sports Net. FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go: • Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more. • Follow us on social media: Facebook: /MorganStateBears Twitter: @MorganStBears Instagram: /MorganStateBears ABOUT MORGAN Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu Print Friendly Version Related Stories and Videos Related Stories chee 08.14.23 Two Cheer Bears Shine Bright as NCA All-Americans cheerbearsnca 04.14.22 Cheer Bears finish second at NCA Collegiate Cheer Championships Tawanna 10.19.20 BEAR MAKERS: Tawanna Davidson cheerbears 05.26.20 Senior Spotlight: Cheer Bears cheer2 08.22.18 Cheer Bears Qualify For Nationals with Gold Bid Related Videos NCA - Morgan's Cheer BearsPlay Video 04.13.22 NCA - Morgan's Cheer Bears Footer Morgan State UniversityOpens in new window 2024 © MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore MD 21251 443.885.3333 Under Armour Logo Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Logo NCAA Logo NCAA Infractions Logo Terms of Service, opens in new window Privacy Policy, opens in new window Accessibility Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

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