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Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
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Spirit Squad By Mike Miranto, Sr. Associate A.D. for External Operations & Communications

Daemen Elevates Cheerleading To Varsity Status

AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College cheerleading team will be elevated from club to varsity status beginning with the 2018-19 academic year, and head coach Brianna Aichinger has been selected to lead the program, interim director of athletics Brandi Guerinot announced today.

"We are very excited to elevate our existing cheerleading team to varsity status," said Guerinot. "The college has a long history of sponsoring a cheerleading team, and we felt like the time was right to make this change which should increase the visibility of the program and help us attract more students. It's a great opportunity for those with a passion for the sport to continue their participation at the college level."

The cheerleading program is expected to provide a competitive experience for 12 to 20 students, and Guerinot added that the elevation would have a minimal impact on the college's budget for intercollegiate athletics. Existing facilities and equipment will be used to support the team. 

Although the sport does not have an NCAA-sponsored national championship, team members will be governed the same as any other varsity student-athlete. The change to varsity status brings with it a chance for team members to now take advantage of NCAA programming, the same opportunity afforded to the more than 200 student-athletes in Daemen's 17 additional varsity programs. The team is also expected to increase its schedule to include 2-3 local competitions, while the opportunity exists for further competition growth down the road. 

Aichinger, who has been with the program as a volunteer coach for the past two seasons, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the part-time head coaching position. A former team captain at both Depew High School and Erie Community College, the veteran mentor guided Daemen's team to a championship at the Fredonia Cheerleading and Dance Competition this past January.

"I am very excited about the commitment Daemen has made to increasing the visibility of our cheerleading team, and it's new status as a varsity sport," Aichinger said. "The program has had a long history at the club level, and we even won a prestigious competition this past year. I look forward to developing this team into a competitive squad that will bring many more championships to the college in the coming years. It's a dream come true." 

For more information on the new varsity cheerleading program, Aichinger can be contacted via email at baiching@daemen.edu. 




 
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