Pack Cheer Wins National Championship
4/10/2016 7:58:00 PM | Cheerleading
Wolfpack wins NCA national championship, more to follow this week on GoPack.com
NC State won the 2016 Small Coed Cheer Division IA national championship Friday at NCA College Nationals in Daytona Beach, Fla.Â
In addition to the national championship, NC State collected a second place finish in all-girl stunt and a fourth in coed partner stunt, setting itself apart as one of the premier programs in college athletics. Ms. Wuf finished second and Mr. Wuf sixth in the mascot finals under first-year coordinator Kristen Bolinger, an NC State alum.
"It's a huge weekend for us," said Bolinger. "NC State has a strong tradition as a classic collegiate cheer team. We've gotten really close in years past, but to perform like this is crazy. We've had so much support as we've geared up for nationals, an entire community of alums pulling together."
Top five finishes for a pair of mascots represents an extreme rarity. NC State is the only program with a top five team, mascot, group stunt, and partner stunt finish.Â
"There aren't too many programs having that type of thing happen," said head coach Harold Trammel, also an NC State graduate. "We felt like we've been on the verge of winning a championship for a while, and that this might be the year we break through."
For Wolfpack cheer, it's the fifth team national championship all-time, following the first partner stunt national championship with a group helmed by 2015-16 Leader of the Pack Mikayla Raleigh in January. The mascot finishes mark the highest since 2007, the year NC State completed a run of back-to-back mascot national championships.Â
A replay of the finals airs nationally on CBS Sports Network May 1 and May 8.Â
"We wanted to make a statement going into day two, ahead by a large margin if possible," said Trammel. "That didn't really happen. It may have been a blessing in disguise. Being that close let everybody know the job wasn't done yet. Second place isn't what we wanted. The kids worked a little bit harder, were a little bit cleaner with their timing, a little bit better on their execution. They told the judges pick me, pick us, over any other team. The Pack owned the stage. It was our day."
More to follow on GoPack.com from NC State cheer this week as the team returns to Raleigh.
In addition to the national championship, NC State collected a second place finish in all-girl stunt and a fourth in coed partner stunt, setting itself apart as one of the premier programs in college athletics. Ms. Wuf finished second and Mr. Wuf sixth in the mascot finals under first-year coordinator Kristen Bolinger, an NC State alum.
"It's a huge weekend for us," said Bolinger. "NC State has a strong tradition as a classic collegiate cheer team. We've gotten really close in years past, but to perform like this is crazy. We've had so much support as we've geared up for nationals, an entire community of alums pulling together."
Top five finishes for a pair of mascots represents an extreme rarity. NC State is the only program with a top five team, mascot, group stunt, and partner stunt finish.Â
"There aren't too many programs having that type of thing happen," said head coach Harold Trammel, also an NC State graduate. "We felt like we've been on the verge of winning a championship for a while, and that this might be the year we break through."
For Wolfpack cheer, it's the fifth team national championship all-time, following the first partner stunt national championship with a group helmed by 2015-16 Leader of the Pack Mikayla Raleigh in January. The mascot finishes mark the highest since 2007, the year NC State completed a run of back-to-back mascot national championships.Â
A replay of the finals airs nationally on CBS Sports Network May 1 and May 8.Â
"We wanted to make a statement going into day two, ahead by a large margin if possible," said Trammel. "That didn't really happen. It may have been a blessing in disguise. Being that close let everybody know the job wasn't done yet. Second place isn't what we wanted. The kids worked a little bit harder, were a little bit cleaner with their timing, a little bit better on their execution. They told the judges pick me, pick us, over any other team. The Pack owned the stage. It was our day."
More to follow on GoPack.com from NC State cheer this week as the team returns to Raleigh.
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