The University of Alabama has once again shown it is an all-around competitive school.
Whether they’re cheering on the Crimson Tide basketball, football, gymnastics or volleyball programs, the Alabama cheerleading team is always keeping Alabama fans engaged on the way to an Alabama Crimson Tidevictory. This time, it was the program’s turn to fight for a championship.
“We love that our teams have the opportunity to compete for championships,” said Jennifer Thrasher, Alabama’s director of spirit programs.
Alabama cheerleading took runner-up in the Division 1A all-women and coed competition at nationals on Sunday. The 2024 Universal Cheerleaders Association and Universal Dance Association College Nationals competition was held in Orlando, Florida, at Walt Disney World park from Jan. 12 to 14.
The weekend competition had teams from across the country compete at the highest level in the event. The teams compete in a two-and-a-half-minute routine along with a crowd-engaging cheer, where they are judged based on stunting, tumbling, pyramids and the overall structure of their routine.
After the semifinals round, the Crimson Tide’s all-women team took first place in Division 1A with a score of 88. After its final performance, the team had a raw score of 90.8, putting it at first, but with 1.5 points in deductions, the team fell short of the national championship title.
The coed team also fought hard for its comeback from fourth place in semifinals to a second-place finish in the competition. In semifinals, the Crimson Tide scored 91.1 due to 2 points in deductions. In finals, the team had a score of 96.8, just half a point away from the winning team, Central Florida.
“While both our cheer teams fell short of their goals, we are so proud of their second-place finishes,” Thrasher said. “I’m so appreciative of the support from our athletic department, alumni, friends and family. Our athletes represent The University of Alabama in such a positive way and strive for excellence on and off the competition floor.”
Alabama’s dance team also made it to the finals in the Division I jazz category. The dance team finished eighth out of 33 teams in its division with a final score of 93.2857.
