The Hawkline and cheerleaders  competed in Division 1, small coed at the UCA and UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship.

The team advanced to finals where they competed again in front of a new panel of judges. During the final round, the cheerleaders placed 9th overall.

“This was cheer’s first time in five years for them to actually hit and stick all of their stunts on their final competition routine. Regardless of placing 9th, it was a really big year for us,” said Maggie Warren, spirit group coordinator.

The Hawkline competed in the UDA portion of the National Championship. They performed under the Hip-Hop division.

Some of their competitors included the LSU Tiger Girls, the University of Nevada, and the University of Kentucky. Hawkline’s division was not divided by school size, so they competed against a wide range of talent.

“I’m always excited to see the Hawkline perform. I especially liked the last Hip-Hop routine that I saw them do. The cheerleaders always get the crowd into the game with their school spirit,” said Willneisha Hutchinson, freshman biology major.

Along with the cheerleader’s success, Hawkline also experienced a milestone. Performing at nationals was most of the team’s first time performing on a stage of that magnitude. Both the cheerleaders and the Hawkline had a great season.

The National Championship was held Jan.18-20 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla.

Video clips of their performance can be found on the UCA website at uca.varsity.com.