Grambling State University cheer team makes history: Here's how

The Grambling State University Cheerleading Team made history at a national cheerleading competition.

The team became the first historically Black college and university team to win the Co-Ed National Championship April 8 in Orlando, Florida.

The team scored the highest scores during the two-day competition against co-ed teams from private universities such as Upper Iowa University, Stonehill College and Springfield College. The team placed second during last year's competition.

The team chose to compete in the competition because they were able to utilize the entire team, as well as the caliber of contestants, spirit coordinator and head coach Terrance Lilly said. The team was also the only team from a historically black college or university to compete in the competition.

They prepared for the competition throughout the year, Lilly said, perfecting the routine all throughout the 2022 football season.

"It means a lot to us to not only be the first HBCU winners but to win period," Lilly said. "A victory is a victory, it just so happens that we're the first HBCU to do that at that particular competition so we are excited. We're still excited. We're getting ready for next year already."

Lilly said the team wants people to know if you work hard and do what you have to do, you can be successful no matter where you are or what you do.

Lilly and assistant cheer coach Marcus Kennedy plan to continue to make the squad as competitive as it can be because it is multifaceted.

"What we explain to a lot of people [is] that Grambling State University has a cheerleading team that also competes," Lilly said. "Sometimes you just have a competition time team or they have a spirit team, we have a team that does both so our goal is to continue to support the athletic program that we've always done. Encourage the students to build the school spirit along with competing. Grambling State University provides an opportunity for you to be busy all year along with your studies to make your study exciting as we can make it."

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This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Here's how one local university cheer team made history