(Ann Arbor, MI) – The Concordia cheer squad begins their season this weekend by virtually hosting the Cardinal Invite. Last year, the defending NAIA national champions earned their second straight WHAC championship and earned an at-large bid to the NAIA Competitive Cheer National Championships. However, the beginning stages of the global pandemic cancelled the championship event forcing the Cardinals to head back to Ann Arbor without having the opportunity to participate. Two-time WHAC Coach of the Year Kate Edge will rely on her veterans to lead a talented group.

2021 Schedule Outlook

The Cardinal Invite will kick off the team's season on January 16^th in a slightly different manner this year. The competition will be held virtually with CUAA serving as the host. Each team will compete in their own venue and will be live streaming their performances to judges. The judges have the option to be on site or remote. The Cardinal Invite will be first competitive competition within the NAIA  this season.

Virtual Competition Schedule and Information - Saturday, January 16, 2021

 The Cardinals will then travel to Indiana to compete in the Indiana Wesleyan Invitational the following weekend. This competition is scheduled to be in-person but may change based on the COVID-19 management of all institutions involved. Concordia will participate in the Marian Invite on Saturday, January 30^th virtually. Coach Edge will honor a talented and successful senior class on Friday, February 12^th when they host another competition at the Cardinal Field House. The schedule will remain fluid throughout the season as the Cardinals stay prepared to compete when the opportunities become available.

Concordia Personnel

The Cardinals squad features three seniors in Brianna Clopton, Hannah Huhn, Grace Krzyzaniak, and Fred Watts. Hannah Huhn earned WHAC All-Conference First Team in 2020, while Fred Watts was honored as an NAIA All-American and WHAC All-Conference First Team. Joining Huhn and Watts as WHAC honorees was junior standout Laney Roberts earning WHAC All-Conference first team in just her second year as a Cardinal. After graduating Cheerleader of the Year Morgan Raby, Coach Edge will rely on a talented upperclassmen group in pursuit of another WHAC Championship.

COVID Conscious Campus

In an effort to maintain a safe and healthy environment at Concordia and in the community, competitions will be limited to essential personnel only. Student-athletes, coaches, judges, athletic administrators will be permitted in the building. Complimentary live stream coverage will be available for the Cardinals performance. As previously noted, for virtual competitions, participating institutions, will provide complimentary live stream coverage for their competitive cheer team is set to perform. Live results, pictures, and archive recordings will be available on social media and on www.concordiacardinals.com immediately upon the conclusion of the competition.

Cardinals Corner Season Preview

Every Wednesday night at 6pm the Cardinals Corner radio show airs on WTKA The Ticket 1050am or on wtka.com. Ira Weintraub from WTKA The Ticket hosts the one-hour show that features three interview segments. Student-athletes, teams, coaches, and staff are highlighted each week along with a segment by Director of Athletics Lonnie Pries. Brianna Clopton joined Cardinals Corner on Wednesday, January 13th to preview the 2021 competitive season and what her experience has been like as a student-athlete at Concordia. 

Brianna Clopton - Cardinals Corner Podcast 

Connect with the Cardinals

For the most updated information and news throughout the season follow the Concordia Cheer team on their social media platforms. The Cardinals are on Twitter (@CUAACheerDance), and Instagram (@cuaacheer).