SEWARD, Neb. – The week of the Concordia Invitational Tournament will be chalk-full of competition for the Concordia University Nebraska Cheer & Dance teams. Prior to the big event, the Bulldogs will welcome Hastings and Mount Marty to Seward for a triangular in conjunction with basketball on Wednesday evening. The CIT cheer and dance competitions will then be held on Saturday morning. Head Coach Mandi Maser’s squads have begun the 2023 season with school record scores.
This Week
Wednesday, Jan. 25 (Dance) vs. Hastings/Mount Marty, 6:30 p.m. (halftime of WBB)
--Live Stream (part of WBB broadcast) | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
Wednesday, Jan. 25 (Cheer) vs. Hastings/Mount Marty, 7:30 p.m. (after WBB)
--Live Stream (Facebook Live) | Location: PE Center Gym (Seward, Neb.)
Saturday, Jan. 27 – Cheer CIT, 9 a.m.
--Live Stream | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
--Schedule: CUAA – 9:00 a.m. | CUW – 9:10 a.m. | CUC – 9:20 a.m. | CUNE – 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, Jan. 27 – Dance CIT, 9:50 a.m.
--Live Stream | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
--Schedule: CUAA – 9:50 a.m. | CUW – 10:00 a.m. | CUC – 10:10 a.m. | CUNE – 10:20 a.m.
Competing Concordias
Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA)
Concordia University Chicago (CUC)
Concordia University Nebraska (CUNE)
Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW)
Overview
It’s been a particularly impressive start to the season for Concordia Dance. The Bulldogs have already won two dual meets versus GPAC opponents while posting respective scores of 80.55 and 85.9, totals that both reset the program standard for a single competition. In the early going of 2023, Concordia ranks as the No. 4 team in the NAIA competitive dance in terms of highest scoring average. A team led by senior Katie Birtell even outperformed defending NAIA national champion Morningside in last week’s dual inside Friedrich Arena. The competition roster has included Birtell and returners Aubrey Baumann, Avery Lewis and Maddie Wittstruck – as well as freshmen Ryleigh Flesner, Taylor Larsen and Elise O’Neill.
Paced by returning all-conference honoree Shelby Timmerman, Concordia Cheer earned a score of 77.2 while opening up the competition season versus Morningside on Jan. 19. The Bulldogs were picked second in the GPAC coaches’ preseason poll and have high expectations following a 2022 season that saw them place fourth in the conference. Other returners who were part of last week’s competition were Lexi Mack, Victoria Perry, Sabrina Reed, Bre Romero and Elizabeth Schultz.
The CUNE cheer and dance squads are still looking to take home a CIT trophy for the first time. CIT added cheer and dance competitions beginning in 2018. Concordia University Ann Arbor has won each of the first three CIT cheer competitions (and the 2019 dance competition) while Concordia University Wisconsin has taken the dance championships in 2018 and 2020. This will mark the first time CUNE has ever hosted the CIT cheer and dance competitions. The event was put on hold in 2021 and 2022 due to COVID-19.
It should be noted that the CIT competitions are not governed by NAIA rules. The scoring system for CIT was devised by coaches of the Concordias to accommodate both NAIA and NCAA schools that participate.
Past CIT Cheer/ Dance Results
2020
Cheer
1. CUAA – 96.00
2. CUC – 82.67
3. CUNE – 74.32
4. CUW – 62.67
Dance
1. CUW – 58.83
2. CUC – 55.67
3. CUAA – 54.00
4. CUNE – 51.33
2019
Cheer
1. CUAA – 81.08
2. CUC – 76.23
3. CUNE – 53.25
4. CUW – 47.33
Dance
1. CUAA – 51.33
2. CUW – 49
3. CUC – 43.33
4. CUNE – 40.67
2018
Cheer
1. CUAA – 63.5
2. CUNE – 56.75
3. CUC – 53.25
4. CUW – 47.25
Dance
1. CUW – 82.83
2. CUC – 67.5
3. CUAA – 65.5
4. CUNE – 63.3