The Mercer cheer team has been raising money to fund a trip to the 2026 National Cheer Association & National Dance Alliance College Nationals set to run April 8-11 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Head Coach Nicole Scott estimated the total cost to be $46,000.
The proceeds go towards uniforms, copyrights and equipment. The team is selling sponsorship shirts, reaching out for donations and has hosted a number of “Stunt with Mercer” events during which the team has given lessons to young participants who are interested in picking up the skills the cheerleaders show off on the sidelines in Hawkins Arena and Five Star Stadium.
“We’re prepared and ready,” Maleigh Wooten ‘28 said. “We are a strong team.”
The team has established themselves within the cheer world after having competed in Nationals multiple times in the last few years, Kaetlin Bunner '26 said. In 2022, the team came sixth in the final.
“Mercer has made a name for itself, especially in the last year,” Bunner said, adding said she feels “nervous but excited” about the upcoming competition.
Scott believes winning a title this year could open new opportunities for Mercer cheerleaders. Makayla Gilstrap ‘27 said she and the squad are “ready to crush it” in Florida next month.
She hopes to receive more funding from the university.
The team is responsible for raising all of its own funds because it is not recognized by the NCAA as a sport. It is listed as a "spirit group" on Mercer Athletics' website, similar to the dance team and marching band.
They also face challenges in finding time and space to practice choreography because the team shares Hawkins Arena with other sports teams. These scheduling conflicts leave the team spending the majority of practice focusing on game day routines rather than other material.
Scott said she wants to see more dedicated time for their own routines and for Mercer “to be known for cheer.”
