SHU wins national championship
Sacred Heart University was crowned national champion for the second time in its six years competing in the Universal Cheerleaders Association.
SHU won the national title this past Wednesday, competing for the first time in the Open All-Girls Game Day competition at the UCA National Championship in Orlando, Florida.
The Pioneers also won the UCA Division I AllGirls Championship in 2020.
SHU brought two squads to UCA this year, with one winning the national title in the Game Day competition division and the other placing fifth in the Division 1 All-Girls competition.
“This victory is incredible especially after the season we’ve had and the obstacles we’ve overcome,” SHU coach CJ Sereno said in a press release. “One national title was surreal but to bring home a second title in consecutive years is an absolute dream.”
Unlike a normal season without COVID-19, the UCA Championships were held in April instead of January this year. The season’s usual late-summer start was postponed until September due to the pandemic.
Twice the SHU program had to shut down due to positive COVID cases within the team. This delayed the team’s ability to practice its full routine since athletes were already divided into groups and practicing in pods to limit the spread of the virus.
With only four returning from last season’s national championship team, learning this year’s routine took longer as the Pioneers weren’t able to host a full team practice until three weeks before nationals.
“Knowing that nationals could be taken away from us at any moment, we had our doubts on whether or not we’d even make it,” Sereno said.
“To have been given this opportunity was amazing, but to come home as national champions is unbelievable. The resilience that these athletes displayed throughout the season is remarkable.”