The University of Memphis cheerleading and dance teams won this year’s Universal Dance Association and Universal Cheer Association college national championship. The competition was held at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, last month. Through a display of talent, collaboration, and hard work, the teams reestablished themselves as strong competitors in the collegiate cheer and dance circuit.
This is the one annual competition these teams compete in to showcase their skills.
“We love to put Memphis on the map, and we know as a spirit squad we represent the city and university,” said four-year cheer member Peyton Cathy.
In the Division IA small coed competition, Memphis Cheer defeated six other teams. Their final rating was 90.8 out of 100. After competing against five other teams on Division IA game day, the dance team emerged victorious, scoring 95.9.
Despite being separate entities, the bond between the cheer and dance teams at U of M runs deep. United by a shared passion and a common goal, they operate as a cohesive unit, supporting and uplifting each other every step of the way.
“I take pride in the fact that our program is family-oriented and it always has been,” said University of Memphis head coach of dance Carol Lloyd. “Cheer and dance support each other all season.”
One of the main reasons athletes want to be a part of these programs, according to Lloyd, is the family-like atmosphere.
“We have always been a very close-knit program,” said fourth-year dance team member Anna Merritt. “Yes, we are cheer and pom, but we come together and make Memphis Spirit Squad.”
This isn’t the first time these two teams won national titles together (they both took home a national title in 2021), making it a two-peat for some of the squads’ current members.
“It feels nice to be able to finish the way I started,” said Merritt who was a part of the 2021 winning team.
These athletes work hard to succeed, not just for themselves but also to see their teammates happy.
“A lot of people come to Memphis just to win and now that they have that win, they can be happy with their retirement of cheer,” said Cathy. “I am just glad I was able to help lead us to a title.”
The success of these teams can be attributed to more than just the family dynamic. Hard work, sacrifice, and leadership helped elevate them to the top. “Leadership alone, to me, is the drive behind all the success,” said coach Lloyd.
The spirit squad is a familiar sight to many spectators and fans at games and school functions, but not everyone is aware of the work these athletes put in behind the scenes. Both the cheer and dance squads spent numerous hours honing their routines and techniques during the training sessions in the months leading up to the competition, aiming to perfect their stunts, jumps, tumbles, and complex choreography.
“There are countless hours, sacrifice, and dedication that a lot of these athletes [give],” said head coach of cheer, Tony Crump.
According to Lloyd, the dance team practices six hours a day, every day, for six weeks straight. Crump said athletes work all year around and the road to nationals starts immediately after try-outs.
Not only have these athletes been growing in the collegiate circuit, but they have also been making waves online, reaching a larger audience. Their performances are shared out on multiple TikTok pages, and social media has led the sport of cheer and dance to gain more attention.
“It’s great to see the sport that you love and work hard doing, being more recognized by people that may not have known what our sport really entails,” said Cathy.
