MSU Cheerleading Places Third Overall at NCA Collegiate Cheer Championship

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Morgan State University cheer team finished in third place overall by a slim margin in the 2013 NCA Collegiate Cheer Championship Finals on Friday. The Cheer Bears finished ahead of two-time national champion, Kennesaw State University; but, fell short of the championship title, awarded to Towson University with a score of 92.03.

The Bears, who recorded a score of 90.63 (on a 100-point scale) with a .50 deduction, defeated Kennesaw State (89.03), Niagara (82.23), Bryant (82.18) and Central Connecticut State (82.18), but fell to Towson (92.03) and Sam Houston State (91.15).

"Being ranked 3rd by NCA in Division I-AA is an extreme honor,” head coach Theresa Gibson said. “Ending our competition season in this manner was monumental to us! We couldn't ask any more from this team. This team, captained by the only two seniors on the team is very young to accomplish such a feat."

"We put the ladies to the test and they passed with flying colors,” said assistant head coach Kimberly Ross-Watkins. “We had to make major changes in the music, personnel, and choreography after MEAC because of the more stringent rules of NCA. Being that this team is so young, we didn't know what to expect but we knew what they had the talent to do. Assistant coach A'shante Hawkins was the mastermind behind the changes we needed to be successful."

“Last year was the first year for the competition Cheer Bears to compete in this division after competing in the All-Girl I Intermediate Division (a lower division) for several years,” added Gibson. Moving up from 6th place last year to 3rd place this year shows that this team will most likely continue their winning ways in years to come.”

MSU advanced to the final after posting the third top score on Day 1 score (88.95) on Thursday in the 11-team field. Below is a video of the Cheer Bears' preliminary performance.

Click here

Final Results
1. Towson 92.03
2. Sam Houston State 91.15
3. Morgan State 90.63
4. Kennesaw State 89.03
5. Niagara 83.23
T-6. Bryant 82.18
T-6. Central Connecticut State 82.18

The other teams that competed were: Radford Univ., Saint Francis Univ., Sacred Heart and Illinois State.

Print Friendly Version