Xavier University Cheer Team Wins NAIA Competitive Cheer National Championship, 1st HBCU Victory
Xavier University of Louisiana's Cheer Team won the 2022 NAIA National Championship Competitive Cheer title with the highest point total in the event's history. The victory was a first for an HBCU school at the competition.
On Sunday, the Xavier Gold won the 2022 NAIA Cheerleading title with the highest point total in the event's history. Head coach Glenn A. Caston led the ladies to an historic win for the school and HBCU programs.
The 6th Annual NAIA Competitive Cheer National Championship featured 15 teams from across the country and the XULA Gold Rush Cheer Team stole the show!
The top five NAIA cheerleading team results:
- Xavier - 93.70
- Indiana Wesleyan - 92.58)
- St Ambrose - 92.17
- Dickinson State - 90.04
- Concordia - 88.82
The Annual Competitive Cheer and Dance National Championship event was held in Ypsilanti, Michigan at the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Xavier qualified for the championships from a field of eight automatic qualifiers and seven at-large bids. The Gold Rush made its second-straight appearance in the competition after completing the preliminary rounds on Mar. 1.
The format included 12 dance teams and 15 cheer teams at the event from March 11-12.
The NAIA is the only athletics association to offer a national championship in this sport. Competitive Cheer and Dance became the 24th and 25th National Championships in the history of the Association, announced April 16, 2016 at the 75th annual NAIA National Convention in Kansas City, Mo. Competitive Cheer and Dance is the first to earn national championship status in the NAIA in a span of 22 years – NAIA Women’s Golf became a championship sport prior to the spring of 1995.