University of St. Thomas Athletics
Dance makes history with first Division I National Championship
1/19/2023 2:58:00 PM | Spirit Squad
Orlando, Fla. – The St. Thomas Dance Team added to its dynasty with its 18th national championship title and the school's first Division I national champion title. The Tommies earned gold in the Division I Jazz competition at the 2023 UCA and UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship.
"The number one goal we have is representing our university, our alumni dancers and the rich history and proud tradition of the St. Thomas Dance Team," said Head Coach Julia Harris. "In a program with 17 previous national titles, the bar is set really high for us, and I'm so proud of all of the work and effort this year's team put in to accomplish this historic milestone."
The championship jazz routine was choreographed to "Turning Tables" by Adele. It was choreographed by Harris and Tommie Alumnus Danielle Osbeck. Rounding out the coaching staff were assistant dance coaches Megan Kaveney, and Taylor Schupe.
The Purple also placed sixth in the Division I Hip Hop category with a performance to the "Virus Detected" theme produced by Chop Jones. The hip hop routine was choreographed by Trey Barber.
The 2023 squad featured three four-year seniors in Libbie Yung, Grace Stevens, and Reilly Alexander. In their time in Purple the trio won four national championships in the Division III open competition, two in DIII jazz, and two in DIII hip hop and this year's gold in the Division I jazz competition.
"These three seniors saw so much in their time at St. Thomas and handled it with grace and determination. This group began their journey in Division III, saw a year of virtual competition, laid a foundation for this program in Division I and provided a model for generations of Tommies to come," Harris added.
The competition was hosted by Varsity Spirit at the ESPN Wild World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. The elite competition, produced by the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and Universal Dance Association (UDA), took place on January 13-15.
A season ago, St. Thomas was the first team to transition straight to Division I from Division III and took home second place honors in the Jazz competition at the 2022 competition.
"The number one goal we have is representing our university, our alumni dancers and the rich history and proud tradition of the St. Thomas Dance Team," said Head Coach Julia Harris. "In a program with 17 previous national titles, the bar is set really high for us, and I'm so proud of all of the work and effort this year's team put in to accomplish this historic milestone."
The championship jazz routine was choreographed to "Turning Tables" by Adele. It was choreographed by Harris and Tommie Alumnus Danielle Osbeck. Rounding out the coaching staff were assistant dance coaches Megan Kaveney, and Taylor Schupe.
The Purple also placed sixth in the Division I Hip Hop category with a performance to the "Virus Detected" theme produced by Chop Jones. The hip hop routine was choreographed by Trey Barber.
The 2023 squad featured three four-year seniors in Libbie Yung, Grace Stevens, and Reilly Alexander. In their time in Purple the trio won four national championships in the Division III open competition, two in DIII jazz, and two in DIII hip hop and this year's gold in the Division I jazz competition.
"These three seniors saw so much in their time at St. Thomas and handled it with grace and determination. This group began their journey in Division III, saw a year of virtual competition, laid a foundation for this program in Division I and provided a model for generations of Tommies to come," Harris added.
The competition was hosted by Varsity Spirit at the ESPN Wild World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. The elite competition, produced by the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and Universal Dance Association (UDA), took place on January 13-15.
A season ago, St. Thomas was the first team to transition straight to Division I from Division III and took home second place honors in the Jazz competition at the 2022 competition.
Players Mentioned
Press Conference: Tommie Football Postgame v Lindenwood 08/28/25
Friday, August 29
Tommie Football Intro Video 2025
Thursday, August 28
Beyond The Buzzer: Schoenecker Arena Setup
Wednesday, July 23
Beyond The Buzzer: Sports Medicine
Wednesday, July 23
