(Grand Rapids, MI) The Concordia Dance Team entered their postseason at the WHAC Championship Friday afternoon and came away conference champions. This is the first WHAC Championship in CDT history. Several Cardinals received All-Conference accolades, as Head Coach Beth Strom was named WHAC Coach of the Year, Gabrielle Jeziorski earned WHAC Dancer and Newcomer of the Year, and Kiersten Hofmann and Makena Burke were named First and Second Team respectively.

The event consisted of two rounds with the first round consisting of 25% of the final score and the second round making up 75% of the final score. Concordia posted a score of 86.10 in the preliminary round and an 84.93 in the final round for a total of 85.23. The Cardinals were able to beat out the reigning champs, Aquinas by over a full point and finished over three points ahead of third place Siena Heights.

"What a fantastic day," said Head Coach Beth Strom. "It feels so surreal, but in reality, the team worked so hard to prepare for this day. They came locked in, and really gave it their all. It paid off. We are so excited to be named the WHAC Champions for the first time in CDT history and cannot wait for what we still have to come this season."

The Cardinals received a bevy of All-Conference honors, highlighted by Beth Strom being named WHAC Coach of the Year and Gabrielle Jeziorski winning both WHAC Dancer of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. A freshman from Commerce Township, Jeziorski is just the second Cardinal to win either of those yearly honors and the first to take both awards in the same year. Jeziorski was joined by fellow freshman Kiersten Hofmann on the All-WHAC First Team, while Makena Burke made her third appearance on the Second Team for Concordia.

Makena Burke, Kiera Love, Emma McGuire, Kayla Smigielski, and Taylor Weber were named to the All-Academic Team for meeting the WHAC requirements of a sophomore academic status while maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.25. Emma McGuire was named the Cardinals recipient of the WHAC Champions of Character. This award is given to a representative from each participating institution that displays the five core values of the NAIA which are respect, integrity, responsibility, servant leadership, and sportsmanship.

CDT will now prepare for the NAIA National Championships on March 28-29 in Ypsilanti.