Yellowjacket Cheer Team Wins COA Open Championship (Mar. 16, 2004)
Courtesy of MSU Billings University Relations

IRVINE, CA – The Montana State University-Billings Cheer Team captured first place in the Division II competition this past weekend in Irvine, Calif., reported Dani Ruoff, MSU Billings Cheer Coach, and will bring back a trophy and banner when they return to Billings.

JAMES WOODCOCK/Gazette Staff Members of the MSU Billings Cheer team celebrate as the arrive at the Billings airport Tuesday. The team won first place in the Division II cheer leading competition held this past weekend in Irvine, Calif.

The three schools in the Division II competition were Mount San Antonio College, MSU Billings and the University of Redland.  The MSU Billings team received the highest point scale.  “We hit a perfect routine,” said Dani Ruoff.

The MSU Billings Cheer Team went to this competition for the first time last year and came in fourth.  “This year, we were determined to place in the top two, and ended up as the top one,” said Ruoff.  “It was awesome.”

MSU-B Cheer Team members Nick Talmark and Brandi Hallgren also placed first in the Coed Stunt Partner Group.  MSU Billings’ Frankie Reno and Kristin Hodges placed second in that same competition.

The team did a remarkable job despite a major setback.  On Friday morning, during practice, team member Richard Castillo broke his ankle, so the team had to change their entire routine; and, one of the MSU Billings stunt couples of which he was a member had to scratch.

“The team overcame this, which shows what champions they truly are,” said Ruoff, whose excitement in a phone interview was contagious.  “We didn’t care who we were cheering against, we just wanted to go out there and hit a solid routine; we hit a perfect routine!”

The MSU Billings team, Ruoff reported was the only team in its division to have no faults assessed.

“We are very, very excited about this win,” said Ruoff.  “This will open some major doors for the MSU Billings Cheerleading Program.”

Billings Gazette Article and Photo