YORK, Neb. – In the kickoff to a jampacked weekend, the Concordia University Competitive Dance team put itself up against some of the best competition the NAIA has to offer. At night’s end, the Bulldogs learned they had placed fifth out of 14 squads with a score of 76.77 at the York Invitational that took place Friday (Feb. 9) at the Freeman Center.
This marked the third competition of the season for Head Coach Mandi Maser’s squad. There are some aspects of the routine that Concordia knows it can clean up moving forward.
“It was a fun event,” Maser said. “We expect to make some corrections and a little bit of adjusting for tomorrow. Overall, it was pretty good. We had a couple of missteps, but we will make those corrections. We anticipate having a good time tomorrow. We danced with a lot of energy today. It was a good environment for cheer and dance.”
This was the second score of the season that counted towards the team’s official NAIA average. The Bulldogs turned in an 82.0 in their home triangular with College of Saint Mary and Hastings on Jan. 20. That score placed Concordia at No. 7 in the NAIA entering the weekend. The seven athletes who represented the Bulldogs in York are listed below.
Friday competition roster:
· Hanna Bitner (Valentine, Neb.)
· Ryleigh Flesner (Greeley, Colo.)
· Taylor Larsen (Ravenna, Neb.)
· Avery Lewis (Seward, Neb.)
· Elise O’Neill (North Platte, Neb.)
· Kaylee Powell (Central City, Neb.)
· Maddie Wittstruck (Milford, Neb.)
2024 competition results
1/20 – 82.0 (triangular vs. CSM/Hastings)
1/27 – Placed 3rd at CIT
2/9 – 76.77 (5th out of 14)
The Bulldogs will quickly turn around and host the Concordia Cheer & Dance Day of Duals on Saturday. The action will get started at 10 a.m. CT from Friedrich Arena. The largescale competition will feature 15 cheer and 15 dance squads from around the NAIA. More information about the event can be found HERE.