The Transylvania cheer team set a new program record total score with a 91.25 in their fifth-straight appearance at the 2019 National Cheerleaders Association Collegiate National Championships this past weekend Daytona Beach, Florida.
The Pioneers entered the 2019 championship on Thursday and Friday in the Intermediate All-Girl Division III category at the Daytona Beach Band Shell amphitheater with nearly a year’s worth of preparation and practice.
Guided by 14th-year head coach Tora Carter and assistant coach Ben Head, the Pioneers began their performance at the Band Shell with a preliminary competition consisting of a 45-second gameday chant that transitioned into a collection of stunts, pyramids, tosses and tumbling skills. Transylvania completed its preliminary round with a score of 88.98 to take 10th place after the preliminary session.
The Pioneers aimed to improve upon their Thursday preliminary standing with another performance coming in the finals on Friday.
Heading into finals, team captains Madi Banta and Emily Jackson aspired to lift their team to a higher level and make adjustments in order to minimize deductions.
“Cheerleading is different from other sports in that we work year round for these two performances that determine the outcome of our season,” said Banta.
On Friday, the cheer team improved upon their preliminary performance, moving up two places in the final rank and three points overall to achieve a final score of 91.25. This showing lifted Transylvania to not only an eighth-place finish in their division nationally but also the highest score in program history in that classification.
Jackson shared her enthusiasm with her team’s strong finish to the weekend: “Honestly, we really gave it our all,” reflected Jackson. “Thursday wasn’t our best, but we made up for it in our final performance.”
As the Transylvania cheer team looks back on this past week, they are now more motivated than ever to improve for the 2019-20 season. “I’m incredibly proud of our program and of how hard this team has worked all season, and I can’t wait to get started for Nationals 2020,” added Banta.
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