Jan. 11, 2011
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ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF spirit program will be searching for another national title this weekend when it heads to ESPN's Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., for the 2011 College Cheerleading and Dance National Championship. Competition begins Friday with the Division IA Cheer Finals scheduled for Sunday night.
UCF mascot Knightro will be the first to compete as he will be on stage Friday at 6:26 p.m. Knightro was No. 5 in the preseason ranking behind only Auburn, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Colorado.
"Team Knightro has put in countless hours in preparation and practice," said head coach Linda Gooch. "This dedicated group has some creative props and a performance that we can be proud of."
Currently ranked No. 3 in the Southeast Region behind Alabama and Kentucky, the cheer team will hold its annual alumni practice Wednesday in the women's basketball practice gym, where alumni are invited to come and watch the squad perform, as well as provide feedback and encouragement as the Knights look forward to the weekend at Disney World.
The Black and Gold cheerleaders have earned a top-10 finish at the national championships 15 times in the last 17 years, including national titles in 2003 and 2007. It also has received a spot in the top three in the country the last four seasons.
UCF received an automatic bye into the finals but it will perform its routine without judges Saturday at 11:30 a.m. Division IA teams that did not receive a bye will go through the semifinal round starting at 6 p.m. The Division IA Cheer Finals are set for Sunday beginning at 6:30 p.m.
"The focus of this year's cheer team has been conditioning and consistency," said Gooch. "We have worked very hard with strength coaches last spring and this fall to prepare them for the demanding second half of this year's routine. Unique and difficult basket sequences and a creative ending pyramid are highlights to look for."
KnightMoves Dance Team also will be in action, as it qualified for the semifinals in the IA Jazz Division and will perform Saturday at 7 p.m. with the finals set for Sunday at 5 p.m. Meanwhile, KnightMoves earned a high enough preseason ranking to receive a bye straight into the finals of the IA Pom Division, and will compete Sunday at 10:32 a.m.
"We look forward to exciting performances in both of these divisions," said Gooch. "The team has worked hard all fall with our strength coaches to increase their power and endurance. Knightro and KnightMoves will be performing their routines at halftime of the women's basketball game Thursday to help us get ready for the weekend.
"All three of these teams have worked incredibly hard to successfully balance the demands of school, supporting our athletic teams throughout the fall as well as training for their own upcoming championships. Each team is well prepared and poised to insure that UCF remains among the nation's elite spirit programs again this year. It is going to be a great weekend to be a Knights fan."
For a complete schedule and updates on the competition, visit http://uca.varsity.com/college_nationals.aspx, or check out UCFSpirit.com at the conclusion of the event.
UCF Spirit Program at the National Championships - ESPN's Wide World of Sports
Friday - Mascot Competition
Knightro - 6:26 p.m.
Saturday - Cheer
Open Run - 11:30 a.m. (Not Judged - Receives a Bye into the Finals)
Saturday - Dance
Division IA Jazz Semifinals - 7 p.m.
Sunday - Dance
Division IA Pom Finals - 10:32 a.m.
Sunday - Dance
Division IA Jazz Finals - Begins at 5 p.m.
Sunday - Cheer
Division IA Cheer Finals - Begins 6:30 p.m.