Toledo Cheerleading Earns Best Finish in Team History at UCA College Nationals

January 30, 2023 | Athletics, News, UToday, Alumni
By Staff



The Toledo cheerleading team put together an impressive showing at the recent 2023 Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) College Nationals, capturing an 11th-place finish in collegiate cheerleading’s most prestigious competition.

The placement marked the strongest finish for the Rockets in program history and included a trip to the finals in the Division I-A Coed Cheer competition. Toledo’s previous best placement at nationals was a 14th-place finish in 2022.

The Toledo cheerleading team recently scored an 11th-place finish in collegiate cheerleading’s most prestigious competition, the 2023 Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) College Nationals.

UCA College Nationals, which took place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando from Jan. 13 through 15, is the premier competition in college cheerleading. The three-day event creates an opportunity for cheerleaders to take the spotlight and showcase their skills as athletes.

“We spend the majority of our year cheering on other sports, which we love,” head cheerleading coach Kaylie Edwards said. “We like being that face, but this is a chance for us to really showcase their athleticism because they are athletes through and through. Showcasing their skills and working together as a team is something that they take great pride in.”

Toledo’s squad, consisting of 11 men and nine women, was selected as one of 21 teams to compete in the Division I-A Coed Cheer division. The Rockets placed 11th in the semifinals with a score of 77.6 to advance to the finals for the first time in team history with premiere teams such as the University of South Florida, the University of Kentucky and Ohio State University. Toledo’s score in the finals was 72.4, also good for 11th place, ahead of schools such as Rutgers University, the University of Cincinnati and Michigan State University.

“We were probably the loudest team in the whole arena because we were just so thrilled and so excited to be up there with the other talented programs that competed at our level,” Edwards said. “To be considered one of them for the first time was indescribable.”

The 2023 competition marked the Rockets’ fourth appearance at nationals since joining competitive cheerleading during the 2018-19 season. For Toledo’s seniors, a trip to the finals marked a triumphant ending to a unique cheerleading journey.

Over the past four years, the team faced numerous challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, including virtual tryouts, cheering to empty stadiums and taking the 2021 season off from competition. In addition, the cheer team experienced a coaching transition in December of 2021.

“What this team has been through in the past four years has been absolutely crazy, and so to watch their tenacity and to watch their grit as we have developed to the dream of making it to finals has been really awesome,” Edwards said.

As the Rockets continue their journey in competitive cheerleading, Edwards looks forward to bringing more attention and success to Toledo Athletics.

“There’s so much success in Toledo Athletics that we love to be a part of,” Edwards said. “I’m glad that cheerleading gets to be up there as well, that we get to represent the university we love so much on a big national stage like this. We hope to continue to grow and get better as a program to help boost Rocket Nation and what it means to us.”

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