University of St. Thomas Athletics
St. Thomas Cheer places Top 10 in UCA Nationals debut
1/18/2025 10:39:00 PM | Spirit Squad
The program finished 9th in their first Nationals appearance
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The University of St. Thomas Cheer Team made their first appearance at UCA Nationals over the weekend, performing in the All-Girl Division I Cheer Game Day category and finishing 9th in the nation.
The Tommies sat in 11th following the semifinal round and improved two spots with their finals performance, which was given zero deductions.
The team is coached by second-year Head Coach Jessica Peters and first-year assistant coaches Kelsey Hughes and Sydney Ertl. The team's gameday routine was choreographed by Kelly Gerleve.
"Our number one goal this season was to raise the standard of Tommie Cheer and to represent our University at the national level as a Division I program," Peters said. "Growth was our mindset all season long, and this team brought the program to UCA Nationals and earned 9th place in the D1 All Girl Game Day division. As their coach, I couldn't be more proud. The future is looking bright for Tommie Cheer!"
This year's cheer team is led by senior captains Leah Johnson and Emma Limegrover and junior captain Anna Leamy.
"The Tommies came to Nationals for our very first year just hoping to experience the journey, and we were blessed enough to make it to finals and receive a 9th place finish," Johnson said. "None of this could have been done without every single girl on this team, and all three of our coaches supporting us. I am proud and grateful for every moment that led up to it!"
The annual national championship is the highest level of competition for collegiate cheerleading and dance teams and is hosted by Varsity Spirit at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. The elite competition, produced by the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and Universal Dance Association (UDA), took place from January 17-19, 2025.
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Athletics, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @TommieAthletics
The Tommies sat in 11th following the semifinal round and improved two spots with their finals performance, which was given zero deductions.
The team is coached by second-year Head Coach Jessica Peters and first-year assistant coaches Kelsey Hughes and Sydney Ertl. The team's gameday routine was choreographed by Kelly Gerleve.
"Our number one goal this season was to raise the standard of Tommie Cheer and to represent our University at the national level as a Division I program," Peters said. "Growth was our mindset all season long, and this team brought the program to UCA Nationals and earned 9th place in the D1 All Girl Game Day division. As their coach, I couldn't be more proud. The future is looking bright for Tommie Cheer!"
This year's cheer team is led by senior captains Leah Johnson and Emma Limegrover and junior captain Anna Leamy.
"The Tommies came to Nationals for our very first year just hoping to experience the journey, and we were blessed enough to make it to finals and receive a 9th place finish," Johnson said. "None of this could have been done without every single girl on this team, and all three of our coaches supporting us. I am proud and grateful for every moment that led up to it!"
The annual national championship is the highest level of competition for collegiate cheerleading and dance teams and is hosted by Varsity Spirit at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. The elite competition, produced by the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and Universal Dance Association (UDA), took place from January 17-19, 2025.
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Athletics, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @TommieAthletics
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