Jan. 17, 2004
ATLANTA, Ga. -- The University of Maryland's competitive cheer squad rounded up the weekend at the 2004 Cheersport with a third place finish in the College/Open Elire All-Girl (COEAG) division. The Terps were outperformed only by teams from Florida and NC State who took first and second place, respectively.
"This whole experience was so exciting," junior Shyra Nichols said. "To have teams to compete against amidst this atmosphere was simply great."
Nichols has been a fixture on the Maryland cheerleading program, having been a member of the Terrapin Spirit Squad as a freshman and sophomore. The 2003 Terrapin Spirit Squad came in sixth at the National Cheerleading Association Championships.
In the past, the spirit squad developed a routine for nationals a month before the contest. Now, the competitive cheer squad will have an opportunity to hone its routine by using it in every meet from January through the NCA championships in April.
The team goal at the start of the season was to finish in the top three in every meet this season. Having accomplished that in Atlanta, the Terps will now travel to Freehold, N.J. for the 2004 World Cup, to be held on Sunday, Jan. 25.
The World Cup is a regional competition hosted by one of the top All-Star cheerleading groups on the East Coast. The competition will give the younger athletes more exposure to performance and will help them gain more confidence, according to head coach Lura Fleece.
FINAL STANDINGS
College/Open Elite All-Girl (COEAG)
1. Florida Elite Allstars- GNSV
2. NC State All-Girl Cheerleading
3. UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
4. University of Georgia All-Stars
5. Legend Open All Girl
6. Raleigh Rage Open All-Girl
