ERIE, Pa. - The Second Annual Road To Daytona Showcase was another successful endeavor for the Gannon competitive cheer program Saturday afternoon at the Hammermill Center.
Gannon began the event by honoring its six seniors in front of a large crowd.
JoAnne Aiello (Saint Mary's, Pa./Elk County Catholic),
Shelby Malone (White Lake, Mich./Farmington),
Allie Mansell (Ellwood City, Pa./Riverside),
Danielle Munsee (Corry, Pa./Corry Area),
Kate Pearson (Saint Mary's, Pa./Elk County Catholic) and
Meagen Prindle (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek) were recognized along with their families. They represent the first-ever four-year class for the program that was started during the 2013-14 academic year.
Both the Gannon all-girl and co-ed teams knocked out unbelievable performances after Senior Day festivities. The Road to Daytona Showcase concluded with the "Tumble for a Cure" event. Team members collected donations from spectators who wanted to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and performed a handspring or tuck for every dollar raised.
The Gannon competitive cheer teams will now have 11 days to prepare for the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Collegiate Cheer and Dance National Championships scheduled for Thursday, April 6 and Friday, April 7 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The co-ed team completed its inaugural campaign last year with a fifth-place finish at the NCA Collegiate Cheer and Dance National Championships. Following two consecutive national finals appearances, the all-girl squad barely missed a berth in the finals last year after finishing second in the Challenge Cup.
