There were several teams from HBCU institutions (historically Black colleges and universities) at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) and National Dance Alliance (NDA) College National Championship, but only one emerged a champion. The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s (N.C. A&T) cheerleading program cemented its place in history by winning its second consecutive title in the Intermediate Small Coed Division I group with a final event score of 95.0093 and no deductions. In 2024, the Aggie cheerleaders were the first HBCU team to win this division title.
“The performance itself was a rush of energy –– the crowd, the lights, and the focus on what we were trying to get done,” said squad member Jaimee Standfield. “It was just amazing. We’ve been working hard all season to go out on the floor to do that. To be able to go out there and do everything perfectly, how we’ve been training to do it, was unbelievable. It was a very emotional moment.”
The team’s head coach, Daniel Kearns-Pickett, began his position at N.C. A&T four years ago. By 2023, the team made its first appearance at the championship, finishing second. A North Carolina native, Kearns-Pickett has been involved in cheerleading since elementary school, including cheering during his undergraduate years at North Carolina State University. He began working as a choreographer and leading seminars and camps.
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“It has been a lot of hard work, but very rewarding,” said Kearns-Pickett. “Picking the team every year is always a very long process because I’m looking for athletes who have the entire package or are willing to work so they can earn the entire package. By entire package I mean athletes who can do game day, perform on the sideline; athletes who are willing to do appearances and be involved on campus, because we are somewhere all the time every day; athletes who are willing to put in the work academically; and athletes who also have that skill level to compete at the national level.”
It is also essential that those athletes buy into the goal of standing out and being the best. From the day he arrived at N.C. A&T, Kearns-Pickett told the athletic director that he was there to win championships. His commitment is exceptional given that this is a part-time job. He is a licensed clinical mental counselor and is the mental health coordinator for a school district.
Cheerleaders do not receive athletic scholarships but the program does receive funding from the athletic department in terms of gear, transportation, and travel. They also have access to study hall and tutors.
“To cheer requires a passion,” said Kearns-Pickett. “I’m blessed and lucky enough to have athletes who truly love the sport of cheer and want to dominate.”
Senior squad member Christion Drew said being a cheerleader and performing as a unit is a challenge both physically and mentally. He constantly tells himself that he can do it. Making the victory this year even sweeter is that his younger sister, Aliyah, a freshman, was also part of the team.
“The inclusivity that comes from cheerleading and being able to feel like yourself, that’s why I love it and I’ll always love it for that reason,” said Drew, who has been involved in cheerleading since his sophomore year of high school. “I love being on a big team. I love getting to talk with different people.”
Standfield is a senior studying kinesiology with a focus on exercise science. She has a job lined up after graduation, and after a gap year plans to attend graduate school to become a physician assistant with a sports medicine focus. She believes the teamwork of cheerleading will be highly beneficial in her future career.
Drew is a liberal arts major who hopes to pursue a master’s degree in social work so he can become a therapist. He was on the team last year and this year, acknowledging that defending a title was even harder than winning it the first time.
“It’s not just physically, but it’s the mental game,” said Drew. “Especially with cheerleading, you’ve got to tell yourself you can do it.”
The Aggies program motto is “Better Than Yesterday.” They called this “Peak Season” as they pushed themselves to be perfectly in sync, even during complicated and tricky maneuvers that had no room for error.
“The goal was that when we get to the end, which was nationals, we’d have that routine that was truly better than yesterday, which allowed us to win for the second year in a row,” said Kearns-Pickett.
“We all have the same common goal and we’re all working hard,” said Standfield. “It’s an opportunity to represent our school and HBCUs. We’re showing African American girls and boys that it’s possible and…it’s very clear that we’re as talented as everyone else.”