Orlando, Fla. – (1/16/2025) – Early Thursday morning, the Gwynedd Mercy University Cheerleading team departed for their first national competition as the spirit of the Red and Gold traveled to Disney's Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, for the 2024 Universal Cheerleader Association (UCA) College Cheerleading National Championships. From Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 19, the Griffins will join Widener University, Monmouth University, and 2023-2024 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Game-Day Routine and Traditional Routine Champions Misericordia University among other National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III, Junior Colleges, and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) institutions for competition in various cheerleading formats.
 
"This team has put in countless hours of hard work, time, and energy to prepare for this weekend's performances," recognized Gwynedd Mercy University Head Cheerleading Coach Heather Kilduff. "We are proud of the accomplishments we have made to get this far. We have overcome many challenges on this journey and we are excited to show competition what it means to have the courage, grit, and spirit of a Griffin!" On Tuesday, January 15, friends, family, and the Red and Gold faithful gathered for s special send-off showcase as the Gwynedd Mercy University cheerleaders preformed their UCA routine for the last time before competition. At the UCA National Championships, the Griffins and other schools competing in the Game-Day Division Showcase will be asked to perform a three-part routine including a fight song, a situational sideline cheer, and a timeout rally.
 
Gwynedd Mercy University is scheduled to perform at 8:58 a.m. on Friday, January 17, in the Advent Health Arena (North). Family, friends, and fans of Griffin Cheerleading can stream the performance live on VarsityTV and FloSports. Interested parties can also follow the team during their trip to the UCA National Championships on Instagram @gmercyucheer.