Aquinas Dance and Cheer start strong

By Grace Malec, Sports Editor

The Aquinas Cheer Team at the Black Out Cancer game on February 8th – Photo by Grace Malec

The spirit programs at Aquinas College are back on the competitive stage and are looking to pick up where they left off last season.

Both teams began their season by competing at the Madonna University competition. While debuting their routines, the Dance team took first of five teams with a score of 83.43. The Cheer team took fourth of six, with a score of 66.30.

Dance team is looking to regain the traction this season with the high they ended on last year. The team set a program record for their team performance by finishing at regionals in 2024 with a score 92.57. The team also finished in second place at nationals in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The team added five new athletes to their roster this season, who all have brought a new set of skills to the team.“This year, we are excited to add five dancers to our NAIA competitive team,” senior Emma Daling said. “They have been amazing additions to the team and are working hard to maintain the standard set by previous teams.”

Members of the team are hoping to extend their conference streak for a sixth year and clinch a spot at NAIA nationals in Ypsilanti, Mich. The team is looking forward to finishing their season at home, hosting both the Saints Showdown competition on the first of March and the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference championships which serves as the NAIA qualifier on March 7.

If the team is able to clinch a spot for NAIA nationals, they will begin their postseason by competing at Eastern Michigan University against the best athletes in the NAIA. The team will head to Daytona Beach following NAIA nationals to compete at the National Dance Alliance nationals against the best teams in the nation and where the seniors on the team will take the stage together one last time. “We are so excited to head back to Daytona to be a part of one of the largest collegiate dance competitions. We will be competing our NAIA team routine as well as switching it up from last year by bringing a Jazz routine,” Daling said.

This year’s team features three graduating seniors; Daling, Meg Christian and Ellie Wieber as well as Sophie Lugtigheid, a graduate student. “This year, we have three graduating seniors and a grad student, who all have had a massive part in creating the culture, expectations, and work ethic that our team thrives in,” Daling said. “I am blessed to have danced with these three girls for the past four years, and I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anyone else.”

The Aquinas Dance Team lines up for the playing of the National Anthem – Photo by Grace Malec

Along with the Dance team’s success, the Cheer team is looking to regain motion in the competitive cheer world. Over the summer, the team announced the hiring of their new coach Sue Smith who has experience coaching both the Cornerstone Golden Eagles as well as NorthPointe Christian High School.

The team functioned and competed all of last year with only an interim head coach. Athletes on the team remained resilient throughout a challenging season. In their competitive efforts, the team fell short against several opponents, taking sixth place of eight teams at the WHAC championship and taking 11th place at the National Cheerleaders Association Nationals in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Aquinas Cheer is looking to bounce back from the struggles that once plagued the team. The team announced the signing of four new members during the offseason including Amber Timmer, Mackenzie Rennells, John Doudna II and Kerina Byard, while also maintaining six graduating seniors, three juniors and one sophomore.

The schedule for the team this season provides opportunities for the team to show their growth; competing at the WHAC league meet at Lourdes on Feb. 23, the Saints Showdown hosted as well as the WHAC championship hosted at home on the first of March and March 8. The team is also looking for redemption in Daytona Beach, heading to NCA nationals in April. Senior Morgan Kuula said “We have had a challenging season full of ups and downs. But we all are looking forward to NCA nationals in early April.”

Both the Aquinas Dance and Cheer team are looking to prove themselves this season, with their season in full swing. While competing both away and at home, there are plenty of opportunities to see what both teams have in store for the rest of the season.