Spirit Groups | 4/15/2026 2:06:00 PM
LORETTO, Pa. — The Saint Francis University collective spirit program, consisting of the Red Flash Cheerleading and Dance teams, proudly represented the university on the national stage this past weekend. Competing simultaneously in Daytona and Orlando, Florida, both teams delivered outstanding performances to cap off the 2026 season.
As Saint Francis concludes its final chapter as an NCAA Division I institution before reclassifying into Division III this Fall, the spirit programs showcased the resilience, talent, and dedication that have defined this era of Red Flash athletics.
Cheer Team Overcomes Adversity at NCA Nationals
The Red Flash Cheer Team traveled to Daytona Beach, Florida, to compete in the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Collegiate Championship. Competing in the
Division I Spirit Rally category, the team faced immense logistical hurdles before even stepping onto the mat. After a grueling 26-hour travel day from Loretto to Daytona, leaving the athletes with just two hours of sleep and minimal food, the Red Flash still managed to secure 6th place out of 11 teams following Day 1 of the preliminary competition.
With a crucial day of rest before the finals, the team regrouped and delivered their best performance of the season. This SFU group consists of 7 athletes that just learned the sport of cheer in the last two years. They are former athletes of other sports that jumped right in at the highest level of competitive collegiate cheerleading and did an outstanding job! The team's exceptional routine earned them high marks, allowing them to finish strong and defeat notable programs like UNC-Greensboro and George Mason University. Tarleton State University ultimately took home the division title.
Understanding the Spirit Rally Division
The Spirit Rally division is a newer addition to the championships, designed to increase accessibility for collegiate programs. It focuses on game-day elements rather than the extreme acrobatics of the Traditional division.
- Spirit Rally: A 2-minute and 15-second performance mimicking a home athletics event. It features a mix of band music and vocal crowd-leading cheers. Because teams already perform these routines at games on hard surfaces, they are only allowed to utilize high school-level skills. The division's structure is cost-effective, generally eliminating the strict need to purchase custom music or hire outside choreographers.
- Traditional: A 2-minute and 15-second routine set entirely to music, requiring high-level collegiate skills, including flipping basket tosses and 2.5-level-high pyramids.
Despite it being SFU's first time competing in the Spirit Rally division, they came thoroughly prepared. The team had been rigorously perfecting their routine since October 2025, collaborating with choreographer Kendall Claar to elevate their game-day showcase. If it wasn't for the Saint Francis University Sound Storm Pep Band saving the day by re-recording the Fight Song, the Red Flash cheer team would not have had such an energized performance. The SFU coaching staff expressed immense thankfulness to the band and also pride in their team for coming together through adversity and finishing the season with incredible resilience and 6th place in the nation.
Dance Team Brings Creativity to DTU College Classic
While the cheerleaders were in Daytona, the Red Flash Dance Team was holding their own in Orlando at the Dance Team Union's (DTU) College Classic. Known for being a slightly smaller competition tailored specifically for universities, the DTU Classic provides an excellent platform for teams to express their creativity and experiment with new stylistic elements.
The Red Flash competed in two highly competitive categories:
- Pom: Focused on quick, sharp motions characteristic of traditional sideline performances. In a packed division of 21 teams (split between small and large Division I programs), Saint Francis finished in a respectable 13th place after two days of intense competition.
- Jazz: The more popular and heavily contested division featured a massive 42-team lineup. This category is more theatrical in nature compared to Pom. Saint Francis shined brightly here, successfully advancing to the finals and finishing 14th overall in the Small Division I sub-category.
Adding to the impressiveness of their run, team leader
Zoey Dunkle took on the monumental task of choreographing both the Pom and Jazz routines. The Red Flash arrived at Nationals with seven freshmen on the competition floor. That is half the team with no collegiate experience and they performed among the best! Coach
Hailey Sanders noted how incredibly proud she is of the team's unity, praising the way they performed as a cohesive unit to successfully round out their season.
A Community Effort: The Road to Florida
Both teams showing exceptionally well at the 2026 Nationals is the culmination of a demanding two-year logistical and financial process.
To make the four-day trip to Florida a reality, the Red Flash Spirit Program operates on a biennial fundraising cycle—raising half the necessary funds in year one and the remaining half in year two. Ultimately, each student-athlete is responsible for raising nearly
$2,000 over that two-year period.
The Saint Francis University cheer and dance teams would like to extend their deepest gratitude to all of the sponsors, donors, and alumni who helped them reach Florida once again this year. Your unwavering support makes these life-changing experiences possible.
We look forward to seeing the entire Red Flash Family back in the stands, leading the crowd at football and basketball games in the Fall!
Visit their respective Facebook pages for more photos and coverage of the events.
https://www.facebook.com/SFUCheer/
https://www.facebook.com/redflashdance
