SEWARD, Neb. – One week after opening the 2024 competition season, the Bulldog Competitive Cheer and Dance Teams will be headed to the Concordia Invitational Tournament. Squads led by coaches Mandi Maser and Emilie Ashenbach showed well at home this past Saturday while going up against GPAC competition. Now the goal is to reign supreme amongst the Concordias. After hosting CIT in 2023, the Bulldogs will venture into Falcon territory in Mequon, Wis., for the 71st CIT. This will be the fifth time that CIT has included cheer and dance competitions. Specific information about the event can be found below.
CIT 2024 Competition Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 27 – Cheer CIT, 9 a.m.
--Live Stream | Location: R. John Buuck Fieldhouse (Mequon, Wis.)
--Schedule: CUNE – 9:00 a.m. | CUC – 9:10 a.m. | CUAA – 9:20 a.m. | CUW – 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, Jan. 27 – Dance CIT, 9:50 a.m.
--Live Stream | Location: R. John Buuck Fieldhouse (Mequon, Wis.)
--Schedule: CUNE – 9:50 a.m. | CUC – 10:00 a.m. | CUAA – 10:10 a.m. | CUW – 10:20 a.m.
--Admission at the door will be $15 for a day pass and $25 for a tournament pass; tickets must be purchased on site with cash only.
Visit the official 2024 CIT webpage for more information: https://cuwfalcons.com/athletics/CIT/CIT2024.
Competing Concordias
Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA)
Concordia University Chicago (CUC)
Concordia University Nebraska (CUNE)
Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW)
Overview
Head Coach Mandi Maser is in her eighth year leading the Bulldogs. The competitive dance team began 2024 solidly while posting a score of 82.0 as part of a triangular with Hastings and College of Saint Mary on Jan. 20. As a comparison, Hastings (59.0) and CSM (57.0) both scored well below CUNE. The 82.0 for the Bulldogs was just above their 2023 season average of 81.97, which ranked 13th among all NAIA teams. Concordia returns the bulk of its competition roster from last season, including sophomore Ryleigh Flesner, who was named a 2023 NAIA Second Team All-American. Flesner is one of three returning All-GPAC award winners along with Taylor Larsen and Avery Lewis. Those three athletes were joined this past week on the dance floor by Hanna Bitner, Elise O’Neill, Kaylee Powell and Maddie Wittstruck. The Bulldogs have aspirations of qualifying for the NAIA National Championships come March.
On the cheer side, Emilie Ashenbach made her debut as a head coach on Saturday. This is her fifth season with the program following a stellar college career with Midland cheer. In the 2024 season opening home dual versus Hastings, the Bulldogs earned a score of 83.30, just off the school record of 83.63 turned in at last year's GPAC Championships. Concordia defeated the Broncos, who posted a score of 76.95. The Bulldogs’ 2023 season average score of 77.80 ranked 26th best in the NAIA. The program returns two-time All-GPAC honoree Shelby Timmerman. Eight of the 11 Bulldogs who appeared on the mat this past weekend were also part of last year’s GPAC Championships roster. One individual making waves is sophomore Bri Hoyle, a Lincoln East High School alum.
The CUNE dance squad is looking to repeat as CIT champion after seizing the trophy last year in Seward. Meanwhile, CUNE cheer will aim for the program’s first CIT title after being edged for the 2023 championship by CUAA (79.12 to 79.04). CIT added cheer and dance competitions beginning in 2018. Concordia University Ann Arbor has won each of the first four CIT cheer competitions (and the 2019 dance competition) while Concordia University Wisconsin took first in the dance competitions in 2018 and 2020. CUNE played the role of CIT host for cheer and dance competitions for the first time in 2023. 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
2023
Cheer (max score of 90)
1. CUAA – 79.12
2. CUNE – 79.04
3. CUC – 64.5
4. CUW – 45.5
Dance (max score of 70)
1. CUNE – 60.05
2. CUC – 55.87
3. CUAA – 52.52
4. CUW – 47.75
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