MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Varsity Spirit—the global leader in cheerleading, dance team and band apparel, camps and competitions, and a division of Varsity Brands, the market leader in team sports, school spirit and achievement recognition—is pleased to announce that UCF and the University of Alabama cheerleading teams, and the University of Tennessee, The Ohio State University and San Diego State University dance teams secured first place finishes at the 2020 UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship, respectively.
The elite competition, produced by the Universal Cheerleaders Association and the Universal Dance Association, took place this weekend at the Walt Disney World Resort® in Florida. The event hosted 5,500 of the country’s top college cheerleaders, dancers and mascots from 245 teams with representation from 44 states and six countries.
This past weekend, college cheerleading and dance teams had their moment in the spotlight at the competition. The event hosted 133 teams in the cheerleading divisions and 112 teams in the dance team divisions.
Cheerleading teams are judged on their stunting and tumbling skills, crowd-leading abilities and overall performance, while the dance competition is judged on choreography, technique, execution and overall effect.
The College Game Day divisions, which offer cheer and dance teams the chance to recreate their performances from the sidelines, are the newest divisions, and have greatly expanded since they debuted in 2017.
“Each year, teams from across the country come together at the UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship to showcase their skills and represent their universities. These athletes have spent hundreds of hours raising spirit on their campuses, leading their crowds at games and pep rallies, and supporting their schools’ athletic teams,” said Bill Seely, President of Varsity Spirit. “It’s truly an honor to host this event, where we can recognize these young people for their hard work, dedication and talent.”
Winners from Division 1A included:
Coed Cheer: UCF
All Girl Cheer: University of Alabama
Pom: University of Tennessee
Jazz: The Ohio State University
Hip Hop: San Diego State University
Coed Cheer Game Day: University of Tennessee
All Girl Cheer Game Day: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Dance Game Day: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Mascot: University of Colorado Boulder
Varsity Spirit live streamed the event all weekend on Varsity TV, and full routine videos are available for fans who were otherwise unable to attend.
The competitions will also air on ESPNU and ESPN2 starting in February. Viewers can check their local listings for air times.
Full results are available on Varsity TV.
For more information about Varsity Spirit or Varsity Brands, please visit varsity.com or varsitybrands.com.
