For the second time in the last five years, the Ole Miss cheer team returned to Oxford from the Universal Cheerleaders/Dance Association College Nationals as national champions.
In the D1A All Girl Game Day category on Sunday, the Rebels earned a score of 97.4333 in the semifinals to advance to the top spot. They went on to win the national title with a 97.2333 in the finals, earning their first crown since 2018.
“I just love these kids and this program,” said first-year head coach Troy Allen. “I’m the lucky one because I get to coach these wonderful kids, and I just love it. I’m so proud of them and their attitudes and work ethic.”
In the Game Day format, teams are evaluated on their ability to lead the crowd, proper game day skill incorporation, execution of skills, motion technique and overall routine. In a competition focusing on program traditions, Ole Miss was particularly lauded for its “D-Fins” signs.
“There is no place like Vaught-Hemingway on game day,” Allen said. “Our team wanted to bring The Vaught to Orlando and lock it. Game day is Ole Miss, and our kids love and thrive off it.”
For the six seniors on the All Girl squad, it marked the perfect ending to their collegiate cheer career. Fourth-year team member Brianna Berry described her nationals experience as one she will never forget.
“It was honestly the moment that every athlete dreams of,” said Berry. “As a senior, it was a huge sigh of relief, because for the first time in four years, we finally could say, ‘We did that! We set the standard, we raised the bar, and we, as a team, made history.'”
In addition to claiming the Game Day crown, the Rebels’ All Girl squad also won bronze in the Cheer category, while the Coed team finished seventh in Game Day and 11th in Cheer.
In Dance, the Rebelettes advanced to the finals in both the Game Day and Jazz divisions and placed 10th and 11th in the country, respectively.
“There are truly no words to explain and describe the sense of joy and pride I have for our All Girl, Coed and Rebelette teams,” said Director of Athletic Spirit Groups Rachel Levetzow. “When these athletes put on their uniform with the Ole Miss logo, it means something to them, and it’s that heart and passion that shows when they hit the stage for competition as well as on the sidelines cheering on our Rebels.”
Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
