You’ve heard: It’s not how you start, but how you finish. On Saturday, April 13, in Daytona Beach, Florida, Coach Glenn Caston and ؾ Competitive Cheer Team (ؾ Cheer) closed out their competitive season as 2024 National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Champions for the Advance Large Co-ed National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division. They outscored their close competitor, Westcliff University, with an ending score of 91.3375.
After an eventful two days of competing, realizing they were champions brought about overwhelming emotions from Coach Caston and the team.
"What a wonderful way to end our season,” said ؾ Cheer Head Coach, Glenn Caston. "The resilience and determination that this team has shown is unmatched.”
In its fifth season of competing as a relatively new program, Xavier student-athletes excelled at the national cheer level while already excelling academically before ever hitting the mat. Many of the cheerleaders are studying to be our future doctors, dentists, scientists, business owners and researchers. Coach Caston emphasized that “the staff's dedication at the season's start ensures our student-athletes are fully equipped for the rigorous coursework in the classroom and championship-level training demands on the mat.”
Coach Caston emphasizes that the staff's dedication at the season's start ensures our student athletes are fully equipped for the rigorous coursework in the classroom and championship-level training demands on the mat.
This is the second national title for the program and ؾ, following their historic win in 2022 as the first HBCU and ؾ sports team to be granted the title of National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Champions.
“It feels amazing to be a National Champion again. This was the greatest victory I could ever ask for to conclude my 4-year cheer career at Xavier. I have seen this program grow and expand as I had never imagined, and it feels great to know that I am a part of a family and team that believes in you and can dream big for you.” said Kaitlyn Banks, senior and Team captain. She credits Coach Glenn for the team’s success. “He has built this program from a club sport to a National Championship and student-athlete team that prizes academics and cheer.”
ؾ Cheer’s national titles as the first Black university to attain them in advanced categories and their high-scoring seasons shows that HBCU student-athletes have the talent to perform and dominate on national platforms. It also highlights Xavier University’s dedication in preparing its students for leadership positions in their community and the world.
The win prompted actress Gabrielle Union of the first “Bring It On” to call the Xavier Cheer Team the “real-life Clovers.” She went on to emphasize that in the competitive cheer arena, ؾ Cheer’s win is “HUGE!!”.
The national recognition of young Black women and men in cheerleading changes the dynamic of HBCU cheer teams and ؾ Cheer for years to come.
You can find more information about the 2-time National Champion, ؾ Cheer team and program .