Orange Pride Takes Division I National Title

photo from www.varsity.com

SHSU’s Orange Pride danced their way to a Division I national title this past Sunday (Jan. 16) by beating California State-Fullerton, who have won the contest for the past five years, at the National Cheer and Dance Championship in Orlando, Fla.

The team competed against 19 other colleges, including Villanova, St. Johns, University of Texas-Arlington, Southwest Missouri State, George Mason and the University of Delaware.

The University of Minnesota-Minneapolis won the Division 1A category for schools larger than Sam Houston State.

Maggie Babcock, special events coordinator in the President’s Office and Orange Pride team coach, said she is proud of the girls for ending California State-Fullerton’s Division 1 winning streak.

“ They are an awesome group of girls that love to dance,” she said. “They work really well as a team and have worked really hard to get where they are.”

In addition to preparing for the competition, which they have been working on since September, Orange Pride dances at many SHSU sporting events.

“ Since September we had set a goal to win the championship, and we did,” Babcock said.

The team will perform their award-winning dance at the Men’s basketball game on Thursday night (Jan. 20).

The performance also will be aired on ESPN sometime this spring.

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SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt
Jan. 19, 2005
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