NSU's Rowdy wins top honor at cheerleading camp

(Tahlequah, Okla.)Northeastern State Universitys Rowdy RiverHawk and spirit squads are walking the squawk following their qualification for national competition next April. A result of their hard efforts at an intense summer camp, the group secured a bronze bid to compete at the NCA/NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The bid means NSU can enter its cheer and dance squads into the competition at a reduced rate, said Jamie Hall, staff spirit squad sponsor. This is the biggest competition for university cheerleaders.

From more than 30 schools represented, Rowdy RiverHawk was named Most Collegiate Mascot during the National Cheerleaders Association and National Dance Alliance college camp July 22-24. The camp was on the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas.

All members of the spirit squad performed well to win the bid, but NSUs headliner was Rowdy.

All mascots from all the attending colleges competed in one class Oklahoma State and the University of Tulsa were represented, Hall said. Rowdy was a big hit in the mascot competition and won the top honor.

According to Hall, the cheer and dance participants attending the camp were selected in April. Additional members were chosen during summer tryouts.

We did have a few people back from last season and I think that continuity helped us do well at this camp, Hall said. These are the new squads who will cheer and perform at NSU football and basketball games this year. We invite our fans to attend the games and cheer with them.