FAYETTE, Mo. - The Central Methodist University cheerleaders placed in the top seven of all three of its categories Saturday at the Cheer LTD Nationals at CANAM in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

In its first time competing in the all-girl group stunt category, the CMU group of junior Rachael Gorman (Buffalo, Mo.), junior Casey Lowry (Pacific, Mo.), sophomore Amanda Kerns (Moscow Mills, Mo.), and freshman Lauran Burgin (Lee's Summit, Mo.), finished as the runners-up. Central Methodist earned a fifth-place finish in coed cheer, while placing seventh in all-girl cheer.
 

"I am very proud of how far our spirit squad has progressed in such a short amount of time," CMU coach Jessica Cook-Kendrick said. "They all did a terrific job at nationals, especially our coed squad. We are very proud to have done so well against schools so much larger than us."
 

The CMU squad competed against 32 teams from across the United States and Canada at the competition. Among the other schools competing at the Cheer LTD Nationals was Tennessee Tech University, an NCAA school whom the CMU football team played in September. Other teams included the champions from Indiana Tech, as well as squads from State University of New York and Iowa Central College.
 

"I am proud to say that I was part of such a great program and so happy we were able to bring home the trophies," senior captain Reena Patel said.