Competitive Cheer (Game Day) | 3/29/2026 3:07:00 PM
ERIE, PA - The Golden Knights Competitive Cheer & Dance teams put on an impressive performance at the Road to Daytona Showcase inside the Highmark Events Center on Sunday afternoon. In total, Gannon won three of the five specialty categories and honored six seniors along the way.
In the Dance Specialty Awards, Gannon picked up top accolades in the Technical Excellence and Choreography categories. The Golden Knights featured strong performances in both the Hip Hop and Team Performance categories.
On the cheer side, GU was awarded the Performance Impression Award for their exceptional Gameday performance. Gannon will be competing in all three divisions at national championships.
Along the way, the Golden Knights honored six senior members of the team before the meet:
Claire Eaton (Conneaut, Ohio/Conneaut),
Bethany Finnefrock (Corsica, Pa./Clarion-Limestone High School),
Marisa Kindel (Bristol, Ind./Northridge),
Gianna Lanzi (Perry, Ohio/Perry), Ivy Martinez, and
Molly Maurer (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg Area High School). Each member has played a vital role in the program's success during their time on campus.
CATEGORY WINNERS
Dance Specialty Awards
Performance Impression Award: Westminster
Technical Excellence: Gannon
Choreography: Gannon
Cheer Specialty Awards
Performance Impression Award: Gannon
Building Skills Award: Penn State Behrend
FROM HEAD COACH KELLI MAKOWSKI
"Our senior class has been extremely dedicated. They've put so much passion and dedication into this program, and it was special to get to honor them in the way they deserve."
"It was great to be able to showcase the routines that we will be performing at Nationals here on our home turf. The energy was tremendous today. Right now, we just need to put the finishing touches on our routines before we head to Daytona, but I was pleased with our efforts today. I think we are in a fabulous space heading to Nationals!"
UP NEXT
Daytona! Gannon will compete in the annual NCA & NDA Collegiate Cheer & Dance Championships in Daytona Beach, Florida from April 9th-11th.
