The Snow College Spirit Squad, including the Badgerettes and the Snow College Cheer and Stunt team, won a combined three national titles at the United Spirit Association College Nationals last weekend in Anaheim, California. This is the second consecutive year the cheer team has claimed the national title.
 
The USA Spirit Nationals, which began in 1986, has served as a national competition for cheerleading, song/pom, mascot, and pep flag activities.  The Badgers' Spirit Squad entered the competition and competed in three different competitions.
 
The Badgers competed against three other schools, including Mount San Antonio College, Long Beach Community College, and Fresno City College. Snow College performed its show routine, a three-minute performance with a mix of jumps, tumbling, cheering, and stunts. Each team was judged in these areas and given a total score out of 100 possible points.  
 
Snow College was pitted against the other three schools in the preliminary round, a round in which only the top two teams advance to the final round. The Badgers advanced to the final where they scored an 89.7 to claim the national title in the Two-Year Junior College Small Coed Advanced Division.
 
"Going to the USA nationals this year has been the top highlight for our program because the work was worth it," Head Coach Shawn Gubeli said. "I am deeply proud and honored to call myself the head coach of the Snow College cheer program and cannot wait to continue to grow this organization and push it into the direction that I have known it always has the ability to be."
 
The Badgerettes followed a similar path. They competed in two disciplines, including the Two-Year College Jazz and Hip-Hop Divisions. The Badgerettes competed against Allan Hancock College and the College of Southern Idaho in the Jazz Division and against Connors State College and AHC in the Hip-Hop Division.
 
Snow College advanced to the final round in each discipline, where the Badgerettes claimed the national title in each division. The Badgerettes scored an 86.6 in the jazz routine and an 85.5 in the hip-hop routine to win the titles.
 
What's more, a total of 15 teams, ranging from NCAA Division I all the way down to the NJCAA schools, competed in their respective Jazz and Hip-Hop Divisions. The Badgerettes compiled a cumulative score which was tied for 3^rd highest among all teams in those respective divisions.
 
"The Badgerettes have pushed themselves beyond what they knew they were capable of," Head Coach Bekah Ackerman said. "They brought their very best to this team day after day, and the powerful performance they brought to the stage was the result of their tireless dedication and hard work. I am so proud of my team!"
 
Both the cheer team and the Badgerettes perform at home football and basketball games throughout the season. They will next perform during the final home basketball series beginning Thursday, Feb. 27, inside the Horne Activity Center in Ephraim.