ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Missouri State cheer team and Sugar Bears dance team wrapped up competition this week at the UCA/UDA Virtual College Cheerleading and Dance Team Nationals and came home with impressive honors.
 
The MSU Cheer Squad placed first in the Division I coed category, while the Sugar Bears placed second in the Division I Pom event and third in the Division I Jazz championship.
 
This year's event was split into virtual performances submitted in advance as well as separately-judged live performances in Orlando. Missouri State was one of the programs that competed virtually with the semifinal and final rounds conducted throughout the month of April.
 
"The experience was very different than the usual in-person competition held in Orlando every year," said MSU Spirit Squads Coordinator Emily Dryden. "We were thankful to the administration at Missouri State for allowing us to compete in this way, and we were very proud to perform and film our routines on our own floor at JQH Arena."
 
For the MSU Cheer team, it marks the program's first-ever national championship after finishing second at the 2020 event in Orlando.
 
The 2021 virtual events marks the Sugar Bears top finish in Jazz since 2011 (third) and top Pom finish ever.
 
Plans for the 2022 UCA/UDA College Nationals are already underway with the event expected to return to full in-person competition, January 14-16.