UCA

By Lana Sweeten-Shults GCU News Bureau It’s a three-peat. For the third year in a row, Grand Canyon University’s Dance team brought home a national title. The team won the Game Day category in Division 1 of the Universal Dance Association College Dance Team National Championship, which wrapped up Wednesday at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. The team emerged triumphant even in a year when a global pandemic limited or halted athletic events and the crowds that attend them. It was one of two wins for GCU at the two-day event. The University’s Cheer team took first place in the Small Coed category in Division 1 of the Universal Cheerleaders Association College Cheerleading National Championship. “This is our third time winning our division,” said Dance team coach Jacque Genung-Koch. “This is a big deal. It’s just back-to-back-to-back.” Game Day competition puts the spotlight on the sideline traditions teams perform every weekend at home. Judges evaluate the teams on their ability to lead the crowd, the execution of their skills, motion technique and overall routine. During the performance, judges can call for a fight song, game situation chant or timeout routine. The competing teams must be ready to perform any […]

The GCU Cheer team earned its best finish ever — second place in the Division I Game Day event — Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships at Orlando, Fla. “The biggest thing is GCU made a name for ourselves and we really stood out,’’ co-captain Casey Traut said. “We had someone tell us that we started a legacy for this school.”

The GCU Spirit team’s ability to fire up the crowd will be the key to the Game Day competition in the Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships, which begin Friday in Orlando, Fla. The Dance team also will compete in a traditional favorite, the Jazz event, and the Cheer team will show its athleticism in the small Co-ed Division I event. Also, Thunder and the drum line are participating in a demonstration of spirited and rhythmic collaboration.