SAU Cheer Team places third at NAIA Championships
The SAU Cheer Team battled adversity and injury all season and in the end the team made the most of it with an impressive third-place finish at the 10th Annual Nfinity NAIA Competitive Cheer National Championships in Topeka, Kan., Saturday.
The Bees actually led after preliminary rounds Friday. St. Ambrose posted a Day 1 score of 93.42 to narrowly lead Oklahoma City (92.92), Indiana Wesleyan (91.88) and Xavier (La.) (91.58) in the 15-team event.
But looking for their fourth straight National Championship, SAU came up just a little short Saturday at the Stormont Vail Events Center.
During Saturday's final round, which accounted for 75 percent of the overall final, St. Ambrose earned a score of 91.20 to drop to an overall score of 91.75. That allowed Xavier to claim the Red Banner with an overall score of 96.13.
Second through fourth place all finished within a point of each other. Indiana Wesleyan earned runner-up honors with a 92.72. Cumberlands finished behind St. Ambrose in fourth with a 91.73. The top six teams all finished with final scores in the 90s and no one in the 15-team field scored lower than 80.
Led by head coach Alex Grenier, team members were Teylar Chatman, Ryan Czech, JP Elder, Chloe Fulcher, Graysen Gerlinger, Amira Glenn, Mikal Honeycutt, Sydnee Horstman, Sydney Hughes, Alanna Lang, Jesse Lopez, Nevaeh McQuay, Savanah Metzger, Taye Owten, Donovan Peck, Reese Puleo, Ryan Russo, Abi Grace Sayavongsa, Haley Scholbrock, Savannah Schumacher, Jaylen Taylor, Brady Teel, Ethan Trevino and RJ Woods.
SAU's three Red Banners are the most by any school in NAIA Competitive Cheer history.