ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Missouri State University Cheer Team and Sugar Bears dance team will be competing at the 2026 UCA and UDA College National Championship here, Friday through Sunday (Jan. 16-18). The national event is held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort.

The Sugar Bears will compete in D1A Jazz and Pom events at this year's championships -- a move to a higher division from last year due to Missouri State's move to Conference USA. Cheer will perform in the D1 small coed division.

The preliminary round of the D1A Jazz competition begins for Missouri State on Friday at 4:30 p.m. (Central) in a field of 34 competing teams. The top 12 advance to Saturday's semifinals.

In D1A Pom, Missouri State will compete in the semifinal round on Saturday morning at 7:36 a.m. (Central) against 19 other schools. The top 10 advance to Sunday morning's finals.

"We're honored to be representing Missouri State at UCA/UDA Nationals and are inspired by the level of competition," said Sugar Bears head coach Emily Dryden. "The best teams in the country are here supporting each other on the sidelines and are ready to take the stage and show how hard they work behind the scenes. Our home crowds loved our routines when we performed them at Great Southern Bank Arena last week, and I hope the crowd at Nationals feels the same!"

The cheer squad will perform in the 1A semifinals against 25 other co-ed schools on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. (Central). The top 13 scores advance to the finals on Sunday evening.

"We have so much talent in both programs this year, and I'm truly excited to see how this year goes," said MoState Cheer coach Noah Sturgeon. "These athletes get to make history this season as the first Missouri State teams to compete in D1A at UCA/UDA and grow in this top division moving forward while placing more eyes on Missouri State."

Choreography of this year's Missouri State routines was coordinated by Maddy Robinson (pom), Caleb Brauner (jazz), Carly Lawrence (jazz), Noah Sturgeon (cheer) and Mahaylee Peterman-Sturgeon (cheer).

Video footage of this year's competition can once again be seen on Tv.Varsity.com with Twitter (X) live coverage at @UDANews and @UCANationals in addition to VarsityTV. 

The prestigious competition, which showcases the country's best college cheerleaders, dance team performers and mascots, is in its 46th year.