2020-21 Cheer Schedule/Results
| Date | Event/Opponent | Location | Result |
| Jan. 13 | Mount Marty University (Dual) | Yankton, S.D. | W, 59.2 - 52.5 |
| Jan. 16 | Morningside College (Dual) | PE Center Gym | Seward | W, 67.75 - 67.25 |
| Jan. 23 | Friends University Day of Duals | Wichita, Kan. | 3 of 7 |
| Jan. 30 | **CIT CANCELED** | Walz Arena | Seward | 9:45 a.m. |
| Feb. 6 | Concordia Cheer & Dance Invitational | Walz Arena | Seward | 2 of 6 |
| Feb. 10 | Triangular vs. Hastings/Peru State | PE Center Gym | Seward | 2 of 3 (66.50) |
| Feb. 20 | Doane University (Dual) | PE Center Gym | Seward | W, 69.6 - 66.3 |
| Feb. 27 | GPAC Championships / NAIA Northwest Qualifier | Crete, Neb. | 4 of 7 (72.93) |
2020-21 Roster
| Name | Year | Hometown | Previous School |
| Jaelyn Adler | Fr. | Wray, Colo. | Wray HS |
| Brooke Ann Duerr | Jr. | Warren, Mich. | Lutheran HS Northwest |
| Kaitlyn Foley | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Northeast HS |
| Emma Gaffney | Jr. | Essex, Iowa | Shenandoah HS |
| Kaci Hohenthaner | Sr. | Council Bluffs, Iowa | Lewis Central HS / Iowa Western CC |
| Brenden Ingram | Jr. | Kearney, Neb. | Kearney HS / Univ. of Nebraska-Kearney |
| Lanessa Kerner | Sr. | Arapahoe, Neb. | Alma HS |
| Danielle Larsen | Jr. | Omaha, Neb. | Omaha Christian Academy |
| Leigha Meyer | So. | St. Louis, Mo. | Lutheran HS South |
| Kenna Millhouse | Fr. | Twin Bridges, Mont. | Twin Bridges HS |
| Josie O'Laughlin | Jr. | Winona, Minn. | Hope Lutheran HS |
| Victoria Perry | Fr. | Shelby, Neb. | Shelby-Rising HS |
| Kenze Probasco | Fr. | Grand Island, Neb. | Heartland Lutheran HS |
| Sabrina Reed | So. | Crete, Neb. | Crete HS |
| Cora Rhode | Sr. | Ft. Morgan, Colo. | Ft. Morgan HS |
| Liv Rogers | Fr. | Ashland, Neb. | Ashland-Greenwood HS |
| Elizabeth Schultz | Fr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward HS |
| Isabel Sermeno | Jr. | Seward, Neb. | Seward HS |
| Naomy Snider | Jr. | McCool Junction, Neb. | McCool Junction HS |
| Kathryn Taylor | So. | Oklahoma City, Okla. | Charter Prep HS |
| Shelby Timmerman | Fr. | Clatonia, Neb. | Wilber-Clatonia HS |
| Faith Trempala | Jr. | Cisco, Texas | Cisco High School |
STAFF
Mandi Maser, Head Coach (5th Year)
Emilie Aschenbach, Graduate Assistant Coach
Season Preview: 2021 Concordia Cheer
January 12, 2021
Head Coach: Mandi Maser (5th year); 2020 GPAC Cheer Coach of the Year
2020 GPAC Finish: 6th/7
2020 NAIA Northwest Finish: 6th/7
2021 Captains: Josie O’Laughlin (Jr.); Cora Rhode (Sr.).
Outlook
Competition week is upon the Concordia University Cheer program, which returned to campus a week early in order to hit the practice gym hard. Named the 2020 GPAC Cheer Coach of the Year, Mandi Maser enters her fifth season leading the Bulldogs. Despite placing sixth in the conference a year ago, members of the team are confident they’re on the right track.
Maser’s team will be captained by junior Josie O’Laughlin and senior Cora Rhode. They will lead a squad hopeful of making a jump into the top three of the GPAC in 2021.
“The cheer program has improved a ton,” Maser said. “This will be our fifth year of stunting. We’re getting to the point where we can really increase the difficulty because of the growth we’ve had in terms of athleticism and strength and conditioning. We’re getting stronger student-athletes into the program and we’re seeing that confidence develop. We’re building trust between each other. This team has improved quite a bit compared to where we ended last year.”
Rhode is just one of three seniors on the cheer roster. The others are Kaci Hohenthaner and Lanessa Kerner. A native of Fort Morgan, Colo., Rhode is tasked with the role of back base while helping foster the success of flyers like O’Laughlin. Like Maser, Rhode has seen dramatic progress within the program. That progress goes beyond what the scores say on competition dates.
It takes time to master any routine. Sometimes that means two-a-days like the team experienced in the week leading up to the start of the second semester at Concordia.
“A big change I’ve seen since my freshman year is the athleticism of the team,” Rhode said. “We’re doing advanced stunts that we wouldn’t have even attempted my freshman year and that really speaks to the evolution of the program and how Coach Maser has built us up into being an athletic team.”
Both cheer and dance are co-ed sports within the NAIA. Maser has high praise for one of the men of the team, junior Brenden Ingram, an essential component of its success. Ingram missed the spring 2020 semester to participate in military basic training. As Maser put it, “I wish I had about 10 of him.” Maser was also excited to welcome back Hohenthaner, a former volleyball player at Concordia. She has been a major addition in terms of both athletic ability and competitive energy at practice.
In addition, the cheer roster includes seven freshmen. Maser has been impressed by freshman Shelby Timmerman (among others) of Clatonia, Neb. Timmerman already possesses extensive cheer experience and is exceptional at tumbling and flying. Maser described Timmerman as a physically strong athlete.
A native of Winona, Minn., O’Laughlin has made big strides in her time as a Bulldog. Said Maser, “Josie has grown into the role of a cheerleader by leaps and bounds. She’s a pretty talented kid who loves cheer and learns quickly. She’s a great leader for the team spiritually and an encouraging person to be around.”
During the fall semester, members of the cheer team worked the sidelines at football games. Due to COVID-19 protocols, they have not been present at basketball games. Rhode says the team has persevered through the challenges and is eager to begin competition. Said Rhode, “It’s kind of hard for us (not to be on the sidelines) because that’s a big part of cheer. It’s almost as big as competition is. As far as practicing with masks and being safe, I think the team is doing really well in following the guidelines.”
Soon it will be time to see how the work in practice translates to competitions. The Bulldogs want to do their part to continue to bring attention to the growing sport of competitive cheer.
“The popularity of cheer and dance is increasing all the time,” Maser said. “More people are paying attention to it with the NAIA recognizing it as a full sport. Athletes are looking at it as an opportunity to compete and get scholarships to do it. Having trainers, strength and conditioning and all of that dedicated to our sport helps validate it and increases our competitive edge. Our level of talent has improved a lot and we enjoy having the chance to travel and compete against other teams outside the GPAC.”
Concordia will go head-to-head with Mount Marty in a dual on Wednesday (Jan. 13) to open up the season. The Bulldogs will also host Morningside on Saturday with the cheer competition taking place inside the PE Gym. Unfortunately, the Concordia Invitational Tournament has been canceled for 2021, but the program is looking forward to a unique opportunity to compete at the Friends University Day of Duals on Jan. 23. Other notable events include the Concordia Cheer & Dance Invitational on Feb. 6 and the GPAC Cheer & Dance Championships (hosted by Doane) on Feb. 26-27.
Concordia opens new season with dual victory
January 14, 2021
YANKTON, S.D. – The 2021 competition season is underway for the Concordia University Cheer program. In conjunction with basketball games that took place at Mount Marty on Wednesday (Jan. 13), the Bulldogs defeated the Lancers, 59.2 to 52.5. The cheer competition took place inside the Ruth Donohoe First Dakota Fieldhouse on the Mount Marty campus in Yankton, S.D. It marked the first time that Mount Marty had ever hosted cheer and dance events.
Head Coach Mandi Maser is in her fifth season leading the Concordia Cheer and Dance programs. She was named the 2020 GPAC Cheer Coach of the Year. Last season, the Bulldogs turned in GPAC place finishes of sixth in both cheer and dance.
“We have to continue to get past the anxious nerves in order to hit the stunting of the routine,” Maser said. “We have to be together and precise, no movement when we get our flyers in the air. We came down on pyramid, which is a scored element of the routine. We had a little bit of a spacing issue. They know what went wrong and what we have to do when we get back into the gym, and how they can increase their scoring. It’s a two-and-a-half minute shot – either you hit it or you don’t.
“It was a really nice venue to be in. Mount Marty did a nice job hosting it. It’s great to have another GPAC school that has the option (to host cheer and dance in separate venues).”
Maser’s teams are captained by junior Josie O’Laughlin and senior Cora Rhode in cheer and by junior Haleigh Fitzsimmons and senior Michelle Porath in dance.
The cheer squad will host a competition for the first time in 2021 when it welcomes Morningside to Seward on Saturday. The two sides will go head-to-head inside the PE Center Gym at halftime of the men’s basketball game. The start time will be at approximately 3:30 p.m. CT.
Home dual win moves cheer to 2-0
January 16, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – While hosting for the first time in 2021, the Concordia University Cheer team seized the moment on Saturday (Jan. 16) afternoon. The Bulldogs outscored visiting Morningside, 67.75 to 67.25, in a close competition held inside the PE Center Gym in Seward. Concordia excelled most notably in the category of showmanship and general impression.
Fifth-year Head Coach Mandi Maser’s squad also earned a win in its season opener at Mount Marty on Wednesday.
“Our cheer team fought today to get the win,” Maser said. “They had the drive and energy to compete that we talk about in every practice. Continuing to increase the difficulty level in some of the stunt sequences is our next step and we have some great momentum to get us there.”
The victory over an opponent that placed higher at the 2020 GPAC Championships is another sign of the progress made by the Bulldogs, who were credited with solid scores in the tumbling and jumping disciplines. The judges also made note of the team’s high energy.
Junior Josie O’Laughlin and senior Cora Rhode serve as the captains of the cheer team while junior Haleigh Fitzsimmons and senior Michelle Porath lead the dance squad.
The cheer and dance squads will both return to action next Saturday with a road trip to Wichita, Kan., where they will take part in the Friends University Day of Duals. The event will feature a unique bracket style format. In past seasons, the Bulldogs have typically gone up against solely GPAC teams in duals.
Concordia takes third in event hosted by Friends
January 23, 2021
WICHITA, Kan. – In a unique cheer and dance event hosted by Friends University, the Concordia University Cheer team competed as one of seven squads present in Wichita, Kan., on Saturday (Jan. 23). In combining scores from their two performances, the Bulldogs posted a total of 153.20 for a third-place finish. This marked the third outing of the season for Concordia, which last competed on Jan. 16 when it hosted a home dual.
Head Coach Mandi Maser’s cheer squad is showing major signs of progress. It also owns dual victories this season over Mount Marty and Morningside. Said Maser, "We had two solid performances. We turned up the difficulty level of both stunt sequences this week and their scores increased by a substantial amount. Really proud of this team for constantly working together, pushing themselves and overall becoming more competitive every time we step on the mat."
The Bulldogs and GPAC rival Hastings joined a field made up mostly of Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference opponents on Saturday. As part of the competition, Concordia won a triangular over Bethany College (Kan.) and host Friends before competing in a dual. However, the place finishes (see bottom) were awarded based on the total scores put forth by the judges.
The Bulldog Cheer competition roster included the following 10 on-the-floor athletes:
· Senior Kaci Hohenthaner (Council Bluffs, Iowa)
· Junior Brenden Ingram (Kearney, Neb.)
· Junior Danielle Larsen (Omaha, Neb.)
· Freshman Kenna Millhouse (Twin Bridges, Mont.)
· Junior Josie O’Laughlin (Winona, Minn.)
· Sophomore Sabrina Reed (Crete, Neb.)
· Senior Cora Rhode (Fort Morgan, Colo.)
· Junior Isabel Sermeno (Seward, Neb.)
· Sophomore Kathryn Taylor (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
· Freshman Shelby Timmerman (Clatonia, Neb.)
The Bulldog Cheer team will now have a break in the action while preparing for the Concordia Cheer & Dance Invitational scheduled to unfold inside Friedrich Arena on Saturday, Feb. 6. The dance competition is slated to begin at 10 a.m. CT with cheer to follow at 11:45 a.m. This will mark the third annual Concordia Invite.
Cheer place finishes (based on two scores added together)
1. Hastings – 167.68
2. Bethel – 159.47
3. Concordia – 153.20
4. Friends – 138.13
5. York – 137.68
6. Bethany – 107.36
7. Kansas Wesleyan – 89.85
Concordia earns second-place claim while hosting invite
February 6, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – While hosting the third annual Concordia Cheer & Dance Invitational, the Concordia University Cheer team continued its upward trajectory. The Bulldogs posted a score of 66.18 while taking second place out of a field of six teams that gathered inside Friedrich Arena on a snowy Saturday (Feb. 6) morning. The competition featured five GPAC squads and Peru State College.
Head Coach Mandi Maser’s squads are making waves while displaying major improvement as compared to the past several seasons.
“Concordia Cheer and Dance did a great job today,” Maser said. “Both teams really pushed themselves to perform with more consistency and precision today. We increased some difficulty for both teams and they stepped up to the challenge. We are really proud of how well this event went on our campus and how well both teams did.”
Only conference rival Midland outperformed Concordia, which had placed fourth out of six teams at its own invite one year ago. The scores turned in by the Bulldogs are representative of a team and a program on the rise. They collected particularly high marks in their pyramids, basket tosses, standing tumbling and jumps.
The competition team for the Bulldogs on Saturday included:
· Kaci Hohenthaner (Council Bluffs, Iowa)
· Brenden Ingram (Kearney, Neb.)
· Danielle Larsen (Omaha, Neb.)
· Kenna Millhouse (Twin Bridges, Mont.)
· Josie O’Laughlin (Winona, Minn.)
· Sabrina Reed (Crete, Neb.)
· Cora Rhode (Fort Morgan, Colo.)
· Isabel Sermeno (Seward, Neb.)
· Kathryn Taylor (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
· Shelby Timmerman (Clatonia, Neb.)
Following the competition, the program honored three seniors: Kaci Hohenthaner, Lanessa Kerner and Cora Rohde.
In previous competitions this season, the Concordia Cheer team has won duals over Mount Marty and Morningside and placed third at the Friends University Day of Duals.
The Bulldogs will make their second-to-last home competition appearance on Wednesday when they host Hastings and Peru State as part of a triangular that will take place inside the PE Center Gym. The action is slated to get started at approximately 7:30 p.m. CT (after that night’s women’s basketball game ends).
Concordia Cheer & Dance Results
DANCE
1. Midland – 86.36
2. Concordia – 71.26
3. Hastings – 67.86
4. College of Saint Mary – 65.86
5. Doane – 63.7
6. Dordt – 62.93
7. Northwestern – 57.7
8. Peru State – 51.7
CHEER
1. Midland – 69.53
2. Concordia – 66.18
3. Hastings – 65.12
4. Doane – 59.56
5. Northwestern – 56.7
Bulldogs place second in home triangular
February 10, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – While building upon a second-place claim at the Concordia Cheer & Dance Invite this past weekend, the Concordia University Cheer team placed second in a home triangular on Wednesday (Feb. 10). The Bulldogs were joined in the competition by Hastings and Peru State College. The Broncos took first place.
Competition scores:
1. Hastings – 67.55
2. Concordia – 66.50
3. Peru State – 50.15
Head Coach Mandi Maser’s squad has now competed in five separate events since the season began on Jan. 13. Concordia’s score on Wednesday came in slightly above (66.50 to 66.18) what it turned in last week.
“Bulldog Cheer had a couple of mistakes tonight that cost us the win over Hastings,” Maser said. “This team knows what it takes to be seen as a top team in a tough conference and tonight’s results put a little fire under them to get back in the gym and hit their stunts.”
Concordia rated highly in its choreography and showmanship, but the stunting mistakes mentioned by Maser will need to be ironed out before the next competition. Overall, the Bulldogs still earned consistently high marks, especially for their pyramids and jumps.
The competition team for the Bulldogs on Wednesday included:
· Kaci Hohenthaner (Council Bluffs, Iowa)
· Brenden Ingram (Kearney, Neb.)
· Danielle Larsen (Omaha, Neb.)
· Kenna Millhouse (Twin Bridges, Mont.)
· Josie O’Laughlin (Winona, Minn.)
· Sabrina Reed (Crete, Neb.)
· Cora Rhode (Fort Morgan, Colo.)
· Isabel Sermeno (Seward, Neb.)
· Kathryn Taylor (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
· Shelby Timmerman (Clatonia, Neb.)
In previous competitions this season, the Concordia Cheer team has won duals over Mount Marty and Morningside and placed third at the Friends University Day of Duals.
The Bulldogs will be at home again on Saturday, Feb. 20 to host Doane. The competition will be staged inside the PE Center Gym. The approximate start time will be 3:30 p.m. CT (or when the women’s basketball game has concluded).
Hohenthaner thriving in transition from volleyball to cheer
February 11, 2021
The collegiate career of Kaci Hohenthaner has taken a tumble – but not like that. The volleyballer turned cheer performer has followed a unique path while capitalizing on a decidedly unique set of skills. She can serve, she can pass, yes, she can tumble, and she’s a future marketer.
Concordia Volleyball Head Coach Ben Boldt knew about the volleyball skills. He had first recruited her while an assistant at Iowa Western Community College, located in Hohenthaner’s hometown of Council Bluffs, Iowa. When Hohethaner decided to bring her talents to Concordia, the volleyball program got more than what met the eye.
“I have to be honest with you, I didn’t know that she could tumble when we recruited her,” Boldt said. “I figured that out my first year here when I saw her do it in front of the student section (at a basketball game). Everyone was like, ‘Kaci, do your tumbling. Do your tumbling.’ I saw her going across and everyone was cheering. That was my introduction to knowing that she could do that. She’s an all-around kid.”
At the time, Concordia Head Cheer & Dance Coach Mandi Maser had no idea that Hohenthaner would soon be a valued member of a cheer team that is currently soaring to new heights. As Maser will tell you, she is willing to let Hohenthaner compete as long as she wants (and has eligibility). The Lewis Central High School alum played volleyball for two seasons at Concordia (2018 and 2019) before making the switch.
No other Bulldog in school history has ever competed in both varsity volleyball AND varsity cheer. Hohenthaner has been passionate about both athletic pursuits for several years, she just didn’t necessarily expect her college career to veer away from volleyball.
“Mandi didn’t know I could tumble until (Associate AD) Angela (Muller) was talking to her about it,” Hohenthaner said. “They had me tumble at a basketball game one night. After that Mandi asked me if I had ever cheered before and I said, ‘Yeah, I used to do competitive cheer a long time ago.’ After that it wasn’t even a question. She said I was more than welcome to join the team.”
Hohenthaner turned down the offer at first, but she accepted a second invite when the cheer team experienced an injury. A couple of months after completing her college volleyball career, Hohenthaner made her official collegiate cheer debut at the Concordia Cheer & Dance Invite on Feb. 1, 2020. The Bulldogs placed fourth out of six teams, but that was just a start.
In some ways, Hohenthaner had to get her body to re-learn some of the movements and routines that are far different than those required in a volleyball match.
“It was definitely different because I hadn’t tumbled in over five years,” Hohenthaner said. “During our talent show for volleyball, I did a couple back handsprings, but I hadn’t done stunting since my senior year of high school in 2016. It was a big jump of getting back into it. At the same time, I grew up doing that so my body knew the movements.”
The rhythmically-inclined Hohenthaner even taught members of the volleyball team how to do “The Git Up” dance during an early season volleyball classic in 2019. Of course, Hohenthaner took center stage during the filming of the team’s rendition of the popular dance. On the court, she saw action in 201 sets over two seasons and helped the 2019 Bulldogs reach the national round of 16.
Maser’s introduction to Hohenthaner may have been a spontaneous tumbling performance at a basketball game, but this was no gimmick. Hohenthaner had grown up honing her skills at Elite Cheer in Omaha. She had gotten comfortable in this type of setting for eight years. As friend of the gym’s owner, Maser did not have to work too hard to find a positive reference in regards to Hohenthaner’s talents and work ethic.
“He let me know how much of a leader and how hard of a worker Kaci was,” Maser said. “I also talked with Angie and Ben (Boldt) to see if they would allow her to dual the next season, once she completed volleyball. They were on board with supporting Kaci’s ambitions. Kaci came on in November of 2019 and jumped in with the team. Right away she had a lot of influence within our team dynamic. She helped us reach a higher competitive edge.”
Hohenthaner has experienced her share of winning with the Iowa Western and Concordia Volleyball programs. A natural leader, Hohenthaner wanted to put her leadership qualities to use with the cheer team, but do so in a respectful way without infringing upon the athletes that had already been inside the program. Hohenthaner had to learn about the demands Maser would have and the differences between college cheer and the “all-star” cheer she grew up with.
“I try to be a leader as much as possible,” Hohenthaner said. “I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes or anything. I give more ideas than critiques. I let the captains do their thing for sure, but it’s fun to help out and do things I did when I was younger or do things that no one’s even thought of.”
No one thought Hohenthaner would eventually compete for the cheer team when she first arrived in the fall of 2018. When the Boldts were hired at Concordia, Hohenthaner reached out to ask if there might be an opportunity. Ben Boldt had recruited Hohenthaner to Iowa Western before Ben and Angie relocated to Hendrix College in Conway, Ark.
Concordia turned out to be a fit. As Hohenthaner said, “I came here because it was close to home, a super fun environment, and I love the school.”
That pride in being a Concordia Bulldog has made a three-year run in navy and white a special one for Hohenthaner, who has played a role in lifting up the fortunes of two totally different athletic programs. Said Maser, “We’ve built a much more competitive team and Kaci has contributed to that a lot. She has so much drive in her and she gets the energy going in practice. She’s been influential for every member of the team.”
This season of competitive cheer will mark the end of Hohenthaner’s time as a collegiate athlete. She’s made the most out of it with four volleyball seasons and at least parts of two cheer seasons. An internship with the Lincoln Salt Dogs and a future full of promise await. Says Hohenthaner, “It’s kind of an up-in-the-air type of thing.”
Whatever the future holds, she’s clearly left a positive mark at Concordia. Added Ben Boldt, “She is one of those kids that is always pushing the limits of what she can do.”
Cheer defeats Doane in season's final home appearance
February 21, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – In the final outing prior to the GPAC Championships, the Concordia University Cheer team earned another victory over a GPAC opponent. In home competition on Saturday (Feb. 20), the Bulldogs defeated Doane, 69.60 to 66.30. It marked the fourth home appearance this season for Concordia.
The score represented an improvement from 10 days earlier when Head Coach Mandi Maser’s program hosted a triangular.
“Concordia Dance and Cheer had a good day today,” Maser said. “We came out on top and we have some great momentum going into next week’s prep for the GPAC Championships/Regional Qualifier. Cheer had a solid warmup and hit all of our skills with great execution, but when the time came for us to be scored we had a couple drops in our stunts. We have to take that precision and execute our routine when it counts. We will be back on the mat Monday ready to do what it takes to be on top of the GPAC next week.”
Despite some of the mistakes, the Bulldogs impressed the judges with their overall routine. In dual meets, Concordia is now 3-0.
The competition team for the Bulldogs on Saturday included:
· Kaci Hohenthaner (Council Bluffs, Iowa)
· Brenden Ingram (Kearney, Neb.)
· Danielle Larsen (Omaha, Neb.)
· Kenna Millhouse (Twin Bridges, Mont.)
· Josie O’Laughlin (Winona, Minn.)
· Sabrina Reed (Crete, Neb.)
· Cora Rhode (Fort Morgan, Colo.)
· Isabel Sermeno (Seward, Neb.)
· Kathryn Taylor (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
· Shelby Timmerman (Clatonia, Neb.)
In previous competitions this season, the Concordia Cheer team has won duals over Mount Marty and Morningside, placed third at the Friends University Day of Duals and placed second in a home triangular with Hastings and Peru State.
The GPAC Cheer & Dance Championships are up next. The cheer portion of the event will be held Saturday, Feb. 27 at Doane.
Information for 2021 GPAC Cheer Championship
February 25, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – The fifth annual GPAC Cheer and Dance Championships are set to unfold Friday and Saturday (Feb. 26-27) on the Doane campus in Crete, Neb. The Haddix Center will serve as the venue for the event, which will not be open to fans (due to COVID-19 restrictions). The GPAC Dance Championship also serves as the NAIA Northwest Group Qualifier and will include Viterbo University (Wis.) among the GPAC competitors.
The 2021 GPAC Cheer and Dance Championships will be streamed live at: https://www.youtube.com/user/doaneathletics/live2.
Both cheer and dance will feature a preliminary and final rounds in addition to NAIA All-American tryouts. The dance competition is set to get started at 3 p.m. CT on Friday while cheer will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The full schedule of events can be viewed via the GPAC website: http://www.gpacsports.com/article/4807.php#.YDfUm2hKiM8. The schedule lists preliminary performance times of 4:06 p.m. on Friday for Concordia Dance and 11:06 a.m. on Saturday for Bulldog Cheer.
At the 2020 GPAC Championships, the Bulldogs placed sixth out of 10 teams in dance and sixth out of seven teams in cheer.
The fifth annual Cheer and Dance National Championship is slated to take place March 12-13 at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa.
2021 Concordia Cheer/Dance Results
CHEER
1/13 at Mount Marty – W, 59.2 to 52.5
1/16 vs. Morningside – W, 67.75 to 67.25
1/23 at Friends Day of Duals – 3 of 7 (153.20 combined score in two performances)
2/6 Concordia Invite – 2 of 6 (66.18)
2/10 Triangular vs. Hastings/Peru State – 2 of 3 (66.5)
2/20 vs. Doane – W, 69.60 to 66.30
DANCE
1/13 at Mount Marty – W, 61.3 to 52.1
1/16 vs. Morningside – L, 71 to 68.15
1/23 at Friends Day of Duals – 2 of 7 (153.34 combined score in two performances)
1/28 vs. College of Saint Mary – W, 68.35 to 56.6
2/6 Concordia Invite – 2 of 8 (71.26)
2/10 vs. Hastings – W, 72.35 to 68.70
Bulldogs finish fourth at GPAC Cheer Championships
February 27, 2021
GPAC/Regional Qualifier Results
CRETE, Neb. – In highly anticipated championship action, the Concordia University Cheer team displayed a continuation of the improvement that has characterized the 2021 competition season. When the scores came in, the Bulldogs placed fourth in the GPAC Cheer Championships/NAIA Northwest Group Qualifier. The event included all seven GPAC institutions that sponsor the sport of cheer.
Head Coach Mandi Maser’s Bulldogs posted scores of 69.63 in the preliminary round and 74.03 in the second and final round of the competition. With an aggregate score of 72.93 (75 percent finals/25 percent prelims), Concordia edged in front of fifth-place Northwestern, a foe it trailed after the prelims.
“We have a really tough conference,” Maser said. “Six of the seven teams hit their routines really, really well both times. It was a high level of competition. We came out of the gate well for finals and increased our score. I’m really proud of the effort and the perseverance the kids showed coming back for the second routine. It was the most competitive season so far for Concordia Cheer. I’m proud of how we’ve improved and what we’re building towards in the future.”
As evidenced by their lack of any deductions in the finals, the Bulldogs put together a clean performance. Concordia earned high marks for its basket tosses and jumps while posting solid scores across the board.
The GPAC competition team for the Bulldogs included:
· Kaci Hohenthaner (Council Bluffs, Iowa)
· Brenden Ingram (Kearney, Neb.)
· Danielle Larsen (Omaha, Neb.)
· Kenna Millhouse (Twin Bridges, Mont.)
· Josie O’Laughlin (Winona, Minn.)
· Sabrina Reed (Crete, Neb.)
· Cora Rhode (Fort Morgan, Colo.)
· Isabel Sermeno (Seward, Neb.)
· Kathryn Taylor (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
· Shelby Timmerman (Clatonia, Neb.)
The 2020 GPAC Championships and regional qualifiers were separated on different dates. Concordia turned in a cheer score of 54.48 at the 2020 conference championships while placing sixth out of seven GPAC teams.
The dance portion of the GPAC Championships was held on Friday and saw the Bulldogs place fourth in the GPAC and fifth in the region. The fifth annual Cheer and Dance National Championship is slated to take place March 12-13 at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa.
Concordia Cheer 2021 Results
1/13 at Mount Marty – W, 59.2 to 52.5
1/16 vs. Morningside – W, 67.75 to 67.25
1/23 at Friends Day of Duals – 3 of 7 (153.20 combined score in two performances)
2/6 Concordia Invite – 2 of 6 (66.18)
2/10 Triangular vs. Hastings/Peru State – 2 of 3 (66.5)
2/20 vs. Doane – W, 69.60 to 66.30
2/27 GPAC Championships/NAIA Northwest Qualifier – 4th
Schedule Release: 2022 Concordia Cheer
June 29, 2021
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Cheer & Dance programs have announced their competition schedules for the 2022 season (as released on June 29). Both Bulldog squads will open their new campaigns by hosting Morningside for a dual on Jan. 19, 2022. The slate features six regular season events for both cheer and dance.
Head Coach Mandi Maser will enter her sixth season leading both programs. Concordia made significant strides last season while improving their scores across the board. The Bulldogs placed fourth in the GPAC in both cheer and dance. One of the highlights of the 2021 season came at the Concordia Cheer & Dance Invitational when both teams turned in second place finishes.
After a year hiatus, the Concordia Invitational Tournament returns this winter. The event will be staged in Seward. The cheer & dance portion of CIT will get underway at 9 a.m. CT from Friedrich Arena on Jan. 29. The schedule includes four home dates. The format for Concordia’s annual invite has been changed to a dual setup and will be held Feb. 19. As for championship events, Doane will host the GPAC Championship/Regional Dance Qualifier Feb. 25-26. National qualifying teams will head to Concordia University, Ann Arbor for the national championship on March 11-12.
The Bulldog Cheer & Dance teams can also be seen performing regularly at other sporting events such as basketball, football, volleyball and wrestling contests. The first home football game of the fall is set for Sept. 11.