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Saginaw Valley State University

September 8, 2021

SVSU cheer team on top at NCA camp competition

2021 Cheer camp GroupOne of Saginaw Valley State University’s club sports teams has something to cheer about. The university’s Cheer team recently won two of the three competition events at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) College Camp in Louisville. In the intermediate small coed division, SVSU’s Cheer team won the Rally Routine Championship and the Game Day Championship. The team also earned a silver bid to attend the NCA College Nationals Championship in April 2022. The silver bid gives the team priority registration for the championship competition and will result in significant cost savings.   

"The hard work and dedication that was displayed by each athlete resulted in huge team success,” said Frances Mills, head coach of the Cheer team. “I am so proud of everything this team has accomplished so far this year.”

The SVSU Cheer team attended the three-day camp at the University of Louisville from July 31 to August 2. The camp was one of nine NCA overnight and resort camps held this summer. The SVSU Cheer team participated in a variety of skill- and team-building classes leading up to evaluations and competitions.

All 25 athletes on the Cheer team attended the camp. They are:

  • Mercy Baldwin, an early college program student from Birch Run
  • James Bigard of Shepherd, an early childhood education major
  • Sarah Bilinski of Yale, a criminal justice major
  • Kaylee Campbell, a general studies major from St. Louis
  • Kylie Cook of Flint, a rehabilitation medicine major
  • Haleigh Cox, an early childhood education major from Birch Run
  • Mikayla Crum of Macomb, a teacher education major
  • Jacob Franz of Bay City, a neuroscience major
  • Aralyn Hantla of Bay City, a general business major
  • Taylor Harrington, a pre-nursing major from Montrose
  • Emily Henderson, a pre-nursing major from South Lyon
  • Cayla Hinkle of Muskegon, a criminal justice major
  • Jenna Hughes of Davisburg, a nursing major
  • Taylor Kekel, a teacher education major from Bay City
  • Autumn Kwierant of Almont, a medical laboratory science major
  • Haley Marsiglio, a teacher education major from St. Clair Shores
  • Amanda Martin of Essexville, a psychology major
  • Brooke Masters, a psychology major from Flint
  • Hannah McIntyre, a nursing major from St. Clair Shores
  • Cassidy McNamara of Flushing, an international business major
  • Lauren Rankin, a criminal justice major from St. Charles
  • Molly Schloegl, a psychology major from Laingsburg
  • Deshawnda Sparks of Clinton Township, a psychology major
  • Navia Thomas of Kalamazoo
  • Kiana Troyer, a pre-nursing major from Edwardsburg

Crum, Franz and Marsiglio are team captains.

Mills said 15 cheerleading teams attended the camp. SVSU was one of three teams in the intermediate small coed division, which also included DePaul University and Bellarmine University. In addition to the Rally Routine and Game Day competitions, SVSU competed in the Game Day Runoff.    

Cheer is one of 21 club sports at Saginaw Valley State University.  Club sports allow students to continue to compete in their sport of choice at a collegiate level, improve their athletic skill set, and gain opportunities for personal growth and development of leadership skills.

SVSU’s fall term will begin Monday, August 30, and the club sports are preparing for a full fall semester.

“I am excited for the future of this very talented group of athletes,” Mills said.