University of Minnesota Athletics
Leaving Behind a Legacy
3/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
It seems like yesterday to senior co-captains Jenny Leuer and Niki LaGrano, that they started their career on the fourth best dance team in the nation. Now the two dedicated Golden Gophers get to end their career as the best in the business three years in a row. A feat the both of them are still coming to grips with.
“I did not even think that it would be possible to do what we did. It has not been done in 10 years and for us to win three years in a row is an unbelievable accomplishment. With that comes stress and hard work, but not many people can say that they won three national championships. Being a part of something like this makes it so nice to say that I was there in the beginning,” stated LaGrano.
“I didn’t even know what it meant to win a national championship for dance team. I hadn’t even won a state dance team title. It was definitely a pleasant surprise,” added Leuer. Some may wonder about the preparation to become the best dance team in the nation; what does it take, how does a team reach that level? Well the ladies at Minnesota practice three times a week for three hours, as well as participating in a strength and conditioning program three more times a week.
“Dance turns out to be just as time consuming, if not more, than other sports. We train doing cardio and free weights, but the only way to get in shape, like any other sport, is to do it,” said Leuer. LaGrano added, “The weightlifting program is one thing that has put us far in front of the competition.” So obviously it is well worth the sacrifice.
Hard work in the training facet of sports can improve any team in any sport, but to be able to attain the success the U of M dance team has, it takes a bit more. The national champs have all the elements to success working in their favor: team unity, dedication, a great coach, supportive family and friend, and most importantly talent.
“I think one key to our success has been, number one, the amazing talent in our program, and number two, the way our team harnesses that talent into our style. It is very difficult to get two dancers, much less 14 to dance the exact same way. I think a big part of this is how close our team is and the willingness to do whatever it takes,” explained LaGrano.
Leuer agreed that everyone in synch towards a common goal has helped produced their un-rivaled success. “Everyone plays a huge role in the success of this team. We all now what we want and work toward that goal. We are a team that looks at one goal at a time; we take the season in strides. Ultimately we want to win nationals, but there is a lot of stuff to get through before that. Our coach pushes us beyond what we could ever imagine our limit would be, and our team is the type of team that will not give in. We all are equally dedicated and this brings us together as one.”
It is understandable how the team reaches their goals with all those attributes, but what is surprising is how the team has continued to stay on top year in and year out. The team has had great retention of dancers as well as the ability to mesh the new dancers in with the returning dancers.
“We have had so many of the girls return, that our group stays very close. Once you dance with these girls for a year, you learn how to dance as one. If 10 out of the 15 girls return, it is hard to say that the talent is going to change. The past couple of years we have had some of our biggest numbers of returning dancers, and now basically everyone that isn’t graduating comes back. For our program this is very promising. We have built something great, a dynasty,” commented Leuer.
LaGrano credits institutional support for the team’s continued retention levels. “I think that the support we receive from our university athletic department is above and beyond what any other school receives. That always gives us an advantage, as well as extra confidence and pride in everything we do,” she stated.
One thing that will be hard to replace is the leadership of the two senior captains who have watched the program blossom from their first taste of success in 2002 with a fourth place finish at nationals. LaGrano and Leuer are model student-athletes that any coach would love to have lead their program. The two of them took this year as their personal responsibility to keep the team on top, and everything stayed together for another stellar season.
“I think that a captain almost takes on a coach-like role and feels personably accountable for every girls performance. I think that being one of the only two four year members I was heavily invested in the program; so I had an extreme drive to win this a third time and go out on top,” commented LaGrano.
Leuer felt just as honored to be the captain of such a special team, but also felt the pressure to perform up to the standards that have been set. “It is such an honor to say that I was captain of a three time national champion team. I took our season very personally because I wanted the best for the team. It created a lot of stress for me because I felt that if we lost, it would be my fault. But I should have known that this team would not let me down,” she said.
It has been an unforgettable run for these two Golden Gophers, but both claim that the titles will keep coming. With a supportive athletic department, a great coach, and talented/dedicated athletes the U of M dance team will continue to be a top finisher for years to come. If the attitudes of LaGrano and Leuer rubbed off on next year’s captains, Golden Gopher fans can count on it.
Story was written by Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant, Dominic Ladd
Over the past three years there has been a dynasty in the making at the U of M. One team has dominated the national competition not with their hard hits, their fantastic passing, or their brute strength. This team has become the cream of the crop with a different skill, the skill of dance. Yes, that’s right, the Golden Gopher dance team has put together a string of three straight national championships! An unbelievable run, that some of the team members cannot even believe.
It seems like yesterday to senior co-captains Jenny Leuer and Niki LaGrano, that they started their career on the fourth best dance team in the nation. Now the two dedicated Golden Gophers get to end their career as the best in the business three years in a row. A feat the both of them are still coming to grips with.
“I did not even think that it would be possible to do what we did. It has not been done in 10 years and for us to win three years in a row is an unbelievable accomplishment. With that comes stress and hard work, but not many people can say that they won three national championships. Being a part of something like this makes it so nice to say that I was there in the beginning,” stated LaGrano.
“I didn’t even know what it meant to win a national championship for dance team. I hadn’t even won a state dance team title. It was definitely a pleasant surprise,” added Leuer. Some may wonder about the preparation to become the best dance team in the nation; what does it take, how does a team reach that level? Well the ladies at Minnesota practice three times a week for three hours, as well as participating in a strength and conditioning program three more times a week.
“Dance turns out to be just as time consuming, if not more, than other sports. We train doing cardio and free weights, but the only way to get in shape, like any other sport, is to do it,” said Leuer. LaGrano added, “The weightlifting program is one thing that has put us far in front of the competition.” So obviously it is well worth the sacrifice.
Hard work in the training facet of sports can improve any team in any sport, but to be able to attain the success the U of M dance team has, it takes a bit more. The national champs have all the elements to success working in their favor: team unity, dedication, a great coach, supportive family and friend, and most importantly talent.
“I think one key to our success has been, number one, the amazing talent in our program, and number two, the way our team harnesses that talent into our style. It is very difficult to get two dancers, much less 14 to dance the exact same way. I think a big part of this is how close our team is and the willingness to do whatever it takes,” explained LaGrano.
Leuer agreed that everyone in synch towards a common goal has helped produced their un-rivaled success. “Everyone plays a huge role in the success of this team. We all now what we want and work toward that goal. We are a team that looks at one goal at a time; we take the season in strides. Ultimately we want to win nationals, but there is a lot of stuff to get through before that. Our coach pushes us beyond what we could ever imagine our limit would be, and our team is the type of team that will not give in. We all are equally dedicated and this brings us together as one.”
It is understandable how the team reaches their goals with all those attributes, but what is surprising is how the team has continued to stay on top year in and year out. The team has had great retention of dancers as well as the ability to mesh the new dancers in with the returning dancers.
“We have had so many of the girls return, that our group stays very close. Once you dance with these girls for a year, you learn how to dance as one. If 10 out of the 15 girls return, it is hard to say that the talent is going to change. The past couple of years we have had some of our biggest numbers of returning dancers, and now basically everyone that isn’t graduating comes back. For our program this is very promising. We have built something great, a dynasty,” commented Leuer.
LaGrano credits institutional support for the team’s continued retention levels. “I think that the support we receive from our university athletic department is above and beyond what any other school receives. That always gives us an advantage, as well as extra confidence and pride in everything we do,” she stated.
One thing that will be hard to replace is the leadership of the two senior captains who have watched the program blossom from their first taste of success in 2002 with a fourth place finish at nationals. LaGrano and Leuer are model student-athletes that any coach would love to have lead their program. The two of them took this year as their personal responsibility to keep the team on top, and everything stayed together for another stellar season.
“I think that a captain almost takes on a coach-like role and feels personably accountable for every girls performance. I think that being one of the only two four year members I was heavily invested in the program; so I had an extreme drive to win this a third time and go out on top,” commented LaGrano.
Leuer felt just as honored to be the captain of such a special team, but also felt the pressure to perform up to the standards that have been set. “It is such an honor to say that I was captain of a three time national champion team. I took our season very personally because I wanted the best for the team. It created a lot of stress for me because I felt that if we lost, it would be my fault. But I should have known that this team would not let me down,” she said.
It has been an unforgettable run for these two Golden Gophers, but both claim that the titles will keep coming. With a supportive athletic department, a great coach, and talented/dedicated athletes the U of M dance team will continue to be a top finisher for years to come. If the attitudes of LaGrano and Leuer rubbed off on next year’s captains, Golden Gopher fans can count on it.
Story was written by Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant, Dominic Ladd
