This is the first year Small Co-Ed Cheer has competed in this division.
The Victory Bells will be ringing at the Texas Tech University Administration Building as another national championship will be coming home to Lubbock.
Texas Tech's Advanced Small Division 1A Co-Ed Cheer Squad captured their first national championship in program history Saturday (April 13) at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) & National Dance Alliance (NDA) Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championships in Daytona Beach, Florida.
“They had an ever-changing and challenging year,” said Head Cheer and Mascot Coach Bruce Bills. “Through it all, they trusted and pushed each other and me to be better. I'm so happy for our seniors who have helped grow this squad and got to finish with a win.”
The small co-ed team division is made up of four men and 16 women along with Texas Tech mascot Raider Red. Texas Tech captured the title with a score of 95.4084.
“Truly remarkable,” said Spirit Program Director Stephanie Rhode. “This team fought through so much adversity and injuries this season. To see them do so and capture a small co-ed title in their first year to compete over such incredible competition. Wow!”
The top five were Texas Tech, North Carolina State, Brigham Young University (BYU), Louisville and Kansas.
Texas Tech's Advanced Large Co-Ed Division 1A team came in second behind Weber State posting a 96.9709.
“Large Coed was one of our most complete and talented squads ever,” said Bills. “Second place is something to be celebrated. I'm very proud of them for everything they've done this year.”
Later in the day, Raider Red came in fourth overall in the NCA Mascot Finals.
The win by the small co-ed team qualified them for the Grand National Championships which involved the top cheer team from each division to compete for the overall title. Weber State University would go on to win the Grand National Championship.
Texas Tech's Co-ed Cheer has a track record of winning national championships having claimed titles in 2017 and 2019, second-place finishes in 2021 and 2022, and third in 2023.