The Wichita State men’s basketball team is not the only highly ranked team at WSU.

The cheer squad is ranked third among national collegiate squads and finished tenth in the world at the Universal Cheer Association this year. Wu Shock is ranked fourth for mascots.

They are the highest-ranked WSU squad in several years.

Cheer coach Kelli Rappard attributed her squad’s improvements this year to changing practice times and the team’s new recruits.

“The talent we have coming in have been phenomenal,” Rappard said. “I can tell there is a new energy level this year.”

The squad competed in Florida in the Universal Cheer Association finals in January with more tricks than ever before.

“We pulled out all the stops,” senior cheerleader Derek Danford said. “The team was a lot more focused than ever before and it shows.”

The team is co-ed, but with the teams’ recent success, there is a possibility of an all female team being added next year.

“It’s been really fun to be a part of this awesome journey,” junior cheerleader Katie Lewis said.

In the next five years, Rappard hopes her team will become a national champion in cheer.

“The way they are working and improving, I see us definitely taking home first place win in the next few years,” she said.

Despite the basketball teams’ perfect season, Danford and Rappard feel like the cheer squad is its own entity.

“The basketball team’s charisma has rubbed off on the whole university,” Danford said. “But everywhere you look clubs and teams are doing better.”