Cheer Takes National Title in Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Morningside Cheer competed at a different level this season, concluding with a National Cheerleaders Association National Championship title, as the Mustangs are now 2-for-2 when it comes to national titles in Daytona, Fla.

The Mustangs' season culminated this week at the NCA College Nationals, where, in the prelims of the Intermediate Small Coed NAIA division, Morningside scored an 86.1481 to take first place in the qualifying round, as they competed against fellow NAIA programs like Central Methodist, Friends, and Aquinas. The intermediate small coed NAIA division features programs that have a limited number of coed athletes, placing an emphasis on technique, synchronization, and an overall clean performance.

"Seeing the team's routine come together throughout the year has been the most rewarding experience," commented head coach, Maci Ohm. "This routine didn't come easy, we faced a lot of challenges throughout the season, and there were a lot of questions surrounding our decision to undeclare from the NAIA."

"Seeing the team work through all of that, make the adjustments, and put it all together at the right time on that stage meant everything. Winning the national title proved that we made the right decision.

Morningside hit its routine again in the finals, taking the top spot on the leaderboard with an 87.3704 and claiming the title.

Flash back to early this fall, when Ohm made the decision not to compete in the NAIA's championship season, instead opting to compete in the NCA. 

"We felt that there were ongoing challenges with inconsistent scoring and judging, which made it difficult to clearly understand how routines were being evaluated," explained Ohm. "The NCA provided a more structured and transparent scoring system, along with a competitive environment that more closely matched our goals. It gave our athletes the opportunity to be evaluated consistently, compete against programs at a similar level, and to truly understand what it takes to succeed at the highest level."

"I was on this team in 2017 when we won the Great Plains Athletic Conference Championship and regional qualifier, and that was the last time that the program had a moment like that." 

"Now, in my fourth year as head coach, we've continued to raise the standard and push the program forward, and to come full circle and bring home an NCA National Championship in our first year competing at that level is honestly surreal. It means everything and is something that I'm incredibly proud of, especially knowing the journey that it took to get here."