Get loud, get proud: Spirit Squad finishes 2nd, 5th in national competition

The KU cheer squads and Rock Chalk Dancers you might catch during KU basketball games on TV aren’t the only Jayhawks on the floor with a national ranking to brag about.

The KU Coed Cheer Squad finished in second place while the Rock Chalk Dancers  placed fifth at the Universal Cheerleading Association/Universal Dance Association  (UCA/UDA) College National Championships held last month at Walt Disney World in  Orlando, Fla., The teams, which together  compose KU's Spirit Squad, came home to Mount Oread with their best performances since the late 1990s.

The second-place finish by the cheer squad is the first Top 5 finish for the team since 1997. The fifth-place finish by the Rock Chalk Dancers marks the first time the team has had consecutive top-five finishes since the late 1990s.

The Coed Cheer Squad had to overcome a huge obstacle after learning only two days before the competition that two members could not participate. KU Spirit Squad Coordinator Catherine Jarzemkoski said the entire routine had to be changed.

The Rock Chalk Dancers entered the competition in 21st place following their video entries. They climbed to fifth place after the semifinals on Saturday.  On Sunday KU performed first in the finals and set the bar high for the competition.

Links: Rock Chalk Dancers competition: http://www.varsity.com/index.asp?article=1793
Coed cheer squad: http://www.varsity.com/index.asp?article=1797