University of Minnesota Athletics
Cheerleaders 14th, Dance Team Fourth, Goldy Third at National Championships
1/13/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Minnesota's cheerleaders took 14th in the national championships. The University of Kentucky finished first with Central Florida, Alabama, LSU and Hawaii rounding out the top five. The Golden Gophers automatically qualified for the finals and did not need to compete in the semis. Minnesota's best performance was an eighth-place finish in 1997-98. The cheer squad is coached by Sam Owens.
The dance team matched its best-ever finish, placing fourth at the 2002 national championships. The Minnesota squad finished behind Orange Coast College, Indiana and Michigan State. Rounding out the top five were Alabama and Tennessee. Minnesota also earned an automatic bid to the finals. Their fourth-place finish matched their final placing in 1994-95. This year's dance team performed to an Alanis Morisette song. The squad is coached by Amber Struzyk
Mascot Goldy Gopher finished third behind YoUDee of the University of Delaware and Smokey of the University of Tennessee. Rounding out the top five were Boston U's Rhett and Aubie of Auburn University. Goldy's second-place finish was his best-ever placing at the national championships. Goldy performed a Minnesota-themed skit, highlighted by references to the Minnesota Twins, Jesse Ventura and hockey.
The University of Minnesota cheer squad and dance team earned paid bids to the national championships after both teams submitted performances on video to be judged by a committee. The dance team's video was judged second-best in the nation while the cheer squad's video took top honors in the Mid-America Region.
The Golden Gopher spirit squads are coached by Sam Owens, Beth Frees and Amber Struzyk. The competition will be shown at a later date on ESPN.
Complete results are available at www.varsity.com.
National Cheerleading Championship Finals
1.University of Kentucky
2.University of Central Florida
3.University of Alabama
4.Louisiana State University
5.University of Hawaii
6.Ohio State University
7.Arizona State University
8.University of South Florida
9.Mississippi State University
10.University of Tennessee
11.Pennsylvania State University
12.Michigan State University
13.University of Washington
14.University of Minnesota
15.University of Memphis
National Dance Team Championship Finals
1.Orange Coast College
2.Indiana University
3.Michigan State University
4.University of Minnesota
5.University of Alabama
6.University of Tennessee
7.Texas A&M University
8.University of Michigan
9.University of Wisconsin - Madison
10.University of Illinois
11.Louisiana State University
12.University of Colorado - Boulder
13.University of Nebraska
14.California State University - Long Beach
National Mascot Championship Finals
1.University of Delaware - "YoUDee"
2.University of Tennessee - "Smokey"
3.University of Minnesota - "Goldy"
4.Boston University - "Rhett"
5.Auburn University - "Aubie"
6.University of Alabama - "Big Al"
7.University of Southern Mississippi - "Seymour"
8.Louisiana State University - "Mike the Tiger"
9.University of Kentucky - "Scratch"
10.University of South Carolina - "Cocky"
11.University of Northern Iowa - "Tommy Cat"
12.Michigan State University - "Sparty"
13.University of Wisconsin Madison - "Bucky the Badger"
14.University of Kentucky - "Wildcat"
