The cheer team has new faces and an all new spirit to showcase this  season. Tatum Tholen, assistant coach for the cheer team, said she is eager for this season’s new team.  

“I’m really excited,” Tholen says. “We have a lot of talent. We just have to focus and get stuff done. But I’m really excited. Everybody is always willing to try something new and always eager to be here.”

Tholen, who graduated in May and cheered all four years while she was a Shocker, is in her first year of assistant coaching. Tholen’s excitement extends to her team. 

Freshman Carter Stelting is particularly excited about cheering on the sidelines during basketball season. Stelting said she is also looking forward to improving her fitness level. 

“I’ve seen cheerleaders on television, and while their basketball games are playing, I’m like, that looks really cool to do,” Stelting says. “It’s very physically active in terms of lifting people up in the air. Currently, I’m in the best shape of my life because of it, and I could not be more happy that I joined cheer.”

 The Shockers cheer team will participate in NCA College Nationals April 5, 2023 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

“We are all really excited about (Nationals),” Tholen said. “We’re preparing now.”

The cheer team cheers at all home and postseason volleyball games and men and women’s basketball games.