Jan. 18, 2016 DI Hip Hop Results | DI Jazz Results | DI Coed Cheer Results

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Missouri State University's spirit squads represented the maroon and white well here this weekend, taking home a fourth-place finish in cheerleading and a sixth-place finish in hip hop dance at the annual UCA/UDA National Competititon at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort.

"I am so proud of our Cheer Team and Sugar Bears," said Susan Brown, MSU's coordinator of spirit squads. "They overcame a lot of things to get ready for nationals -- from injuries to illness -- and did an amazing job representing Missouri State. The talent at this level gets tougher every year, and they really stepped up."

In the UCA Division I Coed Cheerleading national finals, Missouri State finished in fourth place, marking the 11th straight year the program has finished in the top five at nationals. It was also MSU's top finish in the competition since it reeled off four straight third-place finishes from 2009-2012.

Morehead State claimed the UCA overall DI coed team title to dethrone two-time defending national champ Delaware which finished second. Eastern Kentucky took third, just ahead of the Bears, while Chattanooga was fifth, Wichita State sixth and Belmont seventh.

MSU's best finish since 2010 in the DI Hip Hop competition saw the Sugar Bears finish sixth in the division. St. John's took the overall title, ahead of fellow finalists Saint Joseph's, Delaware, Southeastern Louisiana, Northern Arizona and Missouri State, respectively.

There were 12 national qualifiers and six finalists in the hip hop competition.

The Sugar Bears failed to advance to the finals of the Division I Jazz division, but their score was good enough to finish in 15th place among the 22 national qualifiers.

Cal State Fullerton won the UDA jazz national championship, while Hofstra, Northern Arizona, Delaware and Southeastern Louisiana rounded out the top five.

Video footage of the competition can be seen on www.varsity.com again this years. The top teams from nationals will be featured in the nationally-televised event highlight show which will air on ESPN later this spring.

The prestigious competition, which showcases the country's best college cheerleaders, dance team performers and mascots, is in its 32nd year.