ORLANDO, Fla. – In what’s dubbed the “Super Bowl” of the cheerleading and dance world, the UCA/UDA College Nationals will be taking this weekend in Walt Disney World.
Bringing the nation’s best collegiate cheer and dance teams together to compete, the event will span from Friday, Jan. 16 to Sunday, Jan. 18 at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex. For the most part, dance teams will compete all three days while cheer squads will take to the mat for two.
The borough will be well-represented during the competition, with at least 31 known Staten Islanders competing across 15 different schools.
Each CHSAA cheer program has multiple cheerleaders performing, including Notre Dame Academy (6), St. Joseph by-the-Sea (3), St. Joseph Hill (2) and Moore Catholic (2). In addition, programs such as Susan E. Wagner and Evolution Cheer have multiple representatives.
The Staten Island Advance/SILive.com caught up with Wagner College, which has 15 SI cheerleaders on its roster, just two days before they left for the Sunshine State. Their Monday night practice, which saw them run their DI All Girl Game Day routine four times, was open to family and friends while a few alumnae spoke to the squad.
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Wagner College’s cheer team looks to make noise at UCA College Nationals
With a “Only Up, Only Us” motto, head coach Tiffany Galbo’s troops are ready to compete for a national championship. Last year, the Seahawks finished in fifth place in the DI All-Girl Game Day division.
“We’re a team that only started competing three seasons ago, so the girls knew going into competition that they had to work hard since we were the underdogs,” said Galbo, who cheered at St. John Villa and Widener University before a stint as the College of Staten Island’s head coach. “They’re hungry for it and have put in the work everyday, and they want to prove to everyone they belong here and deserve a spot at the top.”
With so many Staten Islanders on her squad, Galbo emphasized how she loved her borough recruits.
“It might sound a little biased, but I love my Staten Island cheerleaders,” laughed Galbo. “They’re great athletes who perform very well, and their coaches from our high schools trained them so well.
“Staten Island breeds the best cheerleaders, and their coaches really put in great work with them. It’s the truth.”
With a goal to advance to the top three of their division, Galbo is excited to see her cheerleaders perform on the big stage.
“A lot of these girls thought they would never cheer again in college, and they found their love [for the sport] again,” concluded Galbo. “It’s our third season and we’re already rising towards the top, and they’re just hungry for it.”
Wagner College, competing in the DI All Girl Game Day division, will look to make noise at UCA College Nationals this weekend. (Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)(Annie DeBiase for the Advance/SILive.com)
How to Watch + Competition Schedule
To watch your favorite team or Staten Islander perform, you must subscribe to Varsity TV. While the monthly plan costs $39.99 per month, it’s worth noting that a one-month subscription would allow viewing for the National High School Cheerleading Competition later this month.
Also at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports complex, this event will feature seven Island HS/elementary cheer and dance squads.
Now, without further ado, check out the schedule for all of Staten Island’s cheerleaders and dancers below! Note, while each school’s first performance has a specific time, the block schedule is included below for any squad that advances in competition.
The location of each performance, in paratheses, will also be the name of the livestream for those who tune in to watch.
Fordham University (Dance) – Ava Rizzo:
DI Jazz Prelims: Friday at 11:09am (State Farm Arena)DI Hip Hop Semis: Saturday at 1:05pm (State Farm Arena)
Hofstra University (Dance) – Lilianna Bilotti:
DI Jazz Prelims: Friday at 11:37am (State Farm Arena)DI Game Day Semis: Friday at 1:57pm (State Farm Arena)DI Pom Semis: Friday at 7:43pm (State Farm Arena)
Iona University – Jill D’Apolito & Kayla Pillarella:
All Girl DI Game Day Semis: Friday at 3:52pm (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)
Monmouth University – Sophia Guglielmetti:
All Girl DI Game Day Semis: Friday at 1:07pm (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)All Girl DI Semis: Saturday at 9:42am (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)All-Girl Game Day University World Cup Cheerleading Championship: Sunday at 7:18pm (State Farm Arena)All-Girl University World Cup Cheerleading Championship: Sunday at 8:08pm (State Farm Arena)
Morehead State University – Samantha Ditta:
Small Coed Division I Game Day Semis: Friday at 10:24am (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)Small Coed Division I Semis: Saturday at 2:35pm (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)
Penn State (Dance) – Samantha Soto:
Jazz Division IA Prelims: Friday at 4:46pm (State Farm Arena)Pom Division IA Semis: Saturday at 10:05am (State Farm Arena)
Providence College – Gabriella Pirozzi:
Small Coed Division I Semis: Saturday at 1:37pm (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)
Purdue University – Victoria Carroll:
All Girl Division IA Semis: Saturday at 10:50am (AdventHealth Arena South – Red)
Rider University – Christina Scognamiglio:
All Girl DI Game Day Semis: Friday at 2:39pm (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)All Girl DI Semis: Saturday at 11:20am (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)
Sacred Heart University – Jody Winters:
All Girl DI Game Day Semis: Friday at 3:31pm (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)All Girl DI Semis: Saturday at 10:08am (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)
St. John’s University – Lilly Dimino:
Small Coed DI Game Day Semis: Friday at 10:08am (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)All Girl Division I Semis: Saturday at 9:02am (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)
University of Delaware – Hailey Barr:
Small Coed DIA Game Day Semis: Friday at 10:18am (AdventHealth Arena South – Red)All Girl DIA Semis: Saturday at 11:06am (AdventHealth Arena South – Red)
University of Rhode Island – Bianca Birstler & Katie Gaglione:
All Girl DI Game Day Semis: Friday at 3:57pm (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)All Girl DI Semis: Saturday at 10:16am (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)
University of Scranton (Dance) – Gabriella Favuzza:
Open Jazz Prelims: Friday at 8:12am (State Farm Arena)Hip Hop Semis: Saturday at 10:41am (State Farm Arena)
Wagner College – Ariana Acosta, Isabella Collica, Ally Corsi, Alexis Graham, Caitlin Keating, Sienna Lucci, Cameron Manley, Eva Mazziotti, Kayla Medina, Isabella Pizzuti, Mikayla Rivera, Chrissy Scarola, Ivory Sumardy & Sofia Wilson:
All Girl DI Game Day Semis: Friday at 2:31pm (AdventHealth Arena North – Yellow)
Block Schedule by Division
DI Jazz
Semis: Saturday at 4:00pm to 7:01pm in State Farm ArenaFinals: Sunday at 11:00am to 1:25pm in AdventHealth Arena South (Red)
DI Hip Hop
Finals: Sunday at 8:08am to 10:11am in AdventHealth Arena South (Red)
DI Game Day (Dance)
Finals: Saturday at 2:30pm to 3:36pm in State Farm Arena
DI Pom
Finals: Saturday at 7:23pm to 9:32pm at AdventHealth Arena South (Red)
All Girl DI Game Day
Finals: Saturday at 3:45pm to 5:29pm in AdventHealth Arena North (Yellow)
All Girl DI
Finals: Sunday at 10:30am to 11:49am in State Farm Arena
Small Coed DI Game Day
Finals: Saturday at 6:15pm to 7:33pm in AdventHealth Arena North (Yellow)
Small Coed DI
Finals: Sunday at 9:04am to 9:52am in State Farm Arena
All Girl DIA
Finals: Sunday at 7:00pm to 7:54pm in AdventHealth Arena South (Red)
Jazz DIA
Semis: Saturday at 3:00pm to 6:09pm in AdventHealth Arena South (Red)Finals: Sunday at 8:00am to 10:15am in AdventHealth Arena South (Red)
Pom DIA
Semis: Saturday at 8:00am to 10:45am at State Farm ArenaFinals: Sunday at 11:04am to 1:07pm in AdventHealth Arena South (Red)
Open Jazz
Semis: Friday at 7:15pm to 10:08pm in State Farm ArenaFinals: Saturday at 7:19pm to 9:50pm in AdventHealth Arena South (Red)