ALFRED, NY – Following years of success within the Alfred University Cheerleading Club, AU will now host Cheerleading as a Varsity sport beginning in the Fall of 2019. The Saxons will be led by Amy Button, who took over the Head Coach role of the cheerleading squad in January of 2018.
Alfred University announced earlier this year the addition of cheerleading as a varsity sport following years of sustained interest and participation. Heading into its first year of competition, the AU cheerleading team has 16 team members and looks to increase that number to 20 or more in the near future.
"This is a very exciting time for Alfred University Cheerleading," Button said. "We have had a long history of being a student-run club and I am so proud of the student-athletes that kept this program alive for so many years, even without the support of a coach. Over the past couple of years, I have enjoyed supporting the club and I am thrilled to see it transition into a competitive cheerleading program. I am also very thankful for the generous donor who made this opportunity possible."
The sport of competitive cheerleading spans the entire academic year, culminating in the Nation Cheerleaders Association (NCA) National Championships in April. The Saxons will kick off their season on October 5 with the Penn Yan Cheer Exhibition before transitioning to the traditional season in January. The cheerleading squad will still remain present at all home football and basketball games when school is in session.
Button will be joined on the coaching staff with four-year club member Melanie Morton, who will serve as the Assistant Coach for the program.
"In our first year as an intercollegiate sport, we will have a team of cheerleaders with varied cheer and dance experience, but all of them are eager to develop their skills and compete," Button stated. "We are going to have a lot of fun, but we will work hard, and I have confidence that the energy and willpower of this incoming squad will result in great success!"
The AU cheerleading team will host open tryouts during the first week of classes (August 27-29) at a date and time to be determined. For more information, please follow AU cheerleading on Facebook at Alfred University Cheerleading, Instagram at @AU_Cheerleading or on Twitter at @Cheer_AU.
