February 9, 2024/Midnight
Erie, Pa., — The Golden Knight competitive cheer teams open the 2024 season with a near-perfect score and win over Alfred University. Gannon cheer represented at the Spirit Against Cancer Cheer & Dance Competition in Game Day Cheer and All-Girl Cheer on Sunday, February 4 at Penn State Behrend.
Gannon All-Girl Cheer competed in the Women’s College All-Girl Intermediate division. The Knights earned top scores for their tumbling and baskets and topping Alfred University. The All-Girl team finished in first place with a 9.5-point lead over the Alfred Saxons. Sophomore All-Girl flyer Genna Terry described their showing this weekend,
“This weekend was the opening to our season. We had many complications leading up to the competition with injuries and illnesses but were able to put a routine out on the mat- we are back in the gym working on perfecting and advancing our skills”.
Gannon’s Game Day Cheer team showed up and out, scoring 91 out of 100 points possible. The Game Day team features cheer athletes, band members, a mascot, and dancers when performing their routine. The Knights represented the university well while going uncontested in this competition. Head Coach Kerri Makay described their first showing as, “with only having our routines for less than a month, I’m pretty happy with how the first competition went and proud of the hard work the student-athletes did today
The Golden Knights Cheer squads enter this new season with high expectations and aspirations. The new squad emerges with both veterans and new faces, adding to an experienced and talented roster. At the 2023 NCA competitions in Daytona Beach, Florida, the Gannon Game Day team placed third. The Gannon Advanced Small Co-ed team also placed third in its division.
This season the All-Girl team will be replacing the Co-ed team, making its much-anticipated return. “That division is always near and dear to my heart since I was always on the All-Girl team when I cheered at Gannon- so I am really excited for it to make its return this season” (Makay, Head Coach).
The Competitive Cheer teams are aiming high, working towards a top-two national finish within their divisions. “There are a lot of high expectations for this team, especially since Gannon brought back the All-Girl team for this year. The All-Girl Intermediate division is very competitive and a difficult division, but with the help of our coaches and motivation from teammates we are putting together a routine to have success and potential to do well” (Terry, Gannon Competitive Cheer).
The Knights continue their regular season with four more competitions, up next preparing for the Upstate Collegiate Championship in Elmira, N.Y. on March 10. Gannon also plans to host The Road to Daytona Showcase at the Erie Sports Center on March 23.
