LOUISVILLE, Ky.--The Bellarmine Cheer team competed at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) national competition in Daytona on April 9-10, and came away with a third place finish in its first year as a Division I program, competing in the "All-Girl Division." 

Bellarmine Cheer Coach Charli Knauer said, "this has been an unconventional and trying season to say the least, but the athletes on this year's team took every obstacle thrown at them and used it as motivation to make sure they got a chance to take the bandshell floor at this year's NCA College Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida."

Once there, the Knights capitalized on their opportunity.  Knauer said, "Going into day two (of the competition) we were sitting in fourth place, but knew a top three spot was ours to claim, and we did just that," she said. "This team took the floor and left everything they had right there on the mat, and we were able to claim a top three spot making us third in the nation in our first year not only as a DI program, but also in an All-Girl Division." (See video of routine below.)

At nationals, each team is allowed two chances to perform with Day One accounting for 25 percent with the second day accounting for the other 75 percent.  Knauer said that Bellarmine's initial performance didn't go as hoped.  "We had some falls and tumbling touch downs in our first performance," she said. "While most teams would have called it a day and gone back to their hotel rooms for the evening, this team went straight into practice. We knew we were so much better than our day one performance and this team was going to prove it."

As with virtually all facets of life over the past year, COVID disrupted the normal routine for the cheer team this year.  In most years, the team begins preparation for the nationals in August with choreography and practices.  This year, however, the Bellarmine team did not even have tryouts until the end of August, and pushied back choreography all the way to February due to some quarantine issues limiting the squad's ability to practice as a whole team in November and December.

Knauer said she is proud of the team's resilience and was especially happy for the senior members of the team who finished their careers with a DII third place in 2018, a DII National Championship in 2019, and a DI third place win in 2021.

"Bellarmine Cheer is here to stay in DI and a fire has been lit for the 2021-2022 season where a goal to achieve a DI National Championship has been set." Knauer said.

Members of the 2020-21 cheer team competing at nationals include:

Hollan Bates
Stephanie Beatty
Meridith Bradford
Augustus Buck
Cori Carter
Emily Eastman
Emily Erato
Charles Heil
Katie Hopper
Graci Keown
Katie Kernen
Madison Lauter
Kobi Mills
Lauren Stone
Ryleigh Summers
Rachel Ward

Gym Coach: Josh Keeling
Head Coach: Charli Knauer

VIDEO OF FINAL ROUTINE: