The Seniors of St. Ambrose Cheerleading
The St. Ambrose University cheer team is on the brink of something few programs in the country ever achieve: a fourth consecutive NAIA National Championship. For the eight seniors who have built this dynasty, it’s more than another trophy. It’s a legacy. It’s a sacrifice. It’s the final time they will step onto the mat together, and the seniors say they are determined to leave everything there.
The St. Ambrose community has every reason to be excited.
Senior Mikal Honeycutt, master’s in organizational leadership, says, “This team brings unmatched work ethic, unity, and heart. We don’t just perform; we represent SAU with pride and intensity every single time we step on the mat.”
That pride has already led to three straight national titles. Now, it fuels a team hungry to prove that their success is not luck, it’s culture.
Setting the Tone
For computer science Senior, Taye Owten, the moment the music starts is everything.
“My favorite part is definitely the opening tumbling passes,” he says. “It really sets the tone for the rest of the routine.”
The opening seconds are explosive! Controlled chaos that demands perfection. Every stunt, every motion, every landing must hit.
Senior JP Elder, a chemistry major, describes it simply: “Leaving it all on the mat is making sure there’s no regrets when I step off. It means constantly being intentional with every little detail to make sure it is as perfect as possible.”
Perfection, though, has not come easily this season.
A Season of Adversity
If one word could define this year, senior Sydnee Horstman says it would be “rollercoaster.”
“This season has been the most difficult in terms of injuries and sickness,” she explains. “Our routine is so challenging that we don’t have backup alternates for the level of difficulty we’re trying to put on the mat. One person being out can really affect the trajectory of the performance.”
At one point, six starters were out. The team received their choreography just seven days before their first competition. After winning three straight national titles, they opened their season with a third-place finish, a devastating result for a team used to standing on top.
But they responded.
“Not even a week later, we scored a 97.60, which is the highest in-season score in our program’s history,” Horstman says.
That score wasn’t luck. It was culture.
Built on Discipline, Not Luck
“What would a fourth straight title say about this program?” Horstman was asked.
“It would speak to the culture,” she said. “Every class buys in, works for one another, and carries on the standard set by the teams before them. A fourth title wouldn’t just represent one season; it would prove that what we’ve built here is bigger than any single group. It would show that our success isn’t luck. It’s earned every single day.
Senior Graysen Gerlinger, a human fitness and performance major pursuing a master’s in kinesiology, agrees.
“We hold each other to a high standard. Everyone works hard, and we truly support each other. There is real trust and accountability, and everyone is willing to put the team first.”
Even after three championships, the motivation hasn’t faded.
“The motivation is to beat ourselves from the years prior,” Horstman said. “This year, we’re the most talented group this program has ever had, and the team is fully aware of our potential…we just all need to do our jobs at nationals.”
More Than a Team
For many of these seniors, the motivation is deeply personal.
Taye says the freshmen fuel him.
“The freshmen on the team are my motivation. Leaving them with a piece of hardware would be worth it. Letting them see all the hard work they put in pays off in the end.”
Savannah Schumacher, an occupational therapy major, reflects on how far she’s come.
“Freshman year me wouldn’t believe what I have accomplished,” she says. “When I joined the team, I was in a completely different role and had to learn so much from scratch. I would tell myself to take it all in…every hard practice, every comp win or lose, and especially the little moments with my teammates because they will be gone before you know it.”
Ryan Russo, a marketing and public relations major, is also embarking on memories in the last few weeks of his career.
“When I look back on my four years, I think about all the fun times I had with the team, in and out of cheer. From long practices to bus rides where we were all laughing, those are the moments I’ll always remember. I’ll miss the games and performances, but I’ll miss the small things even more, like team dinners and just hanging out together. Cheer gave me more than just experience, it gave me great friends and memories I’ll never forget.”
For him, leaving a legacy is truly what it’s all about.
“Legacy means our impact on future athletes. Everything we accomplish is built on the foundation of past athletes who put in the work before us. We didn’t start this tradition, we stepped into it, and it’s our responsibility to protect it and leave it better than we found it. If the next group comes in and feels inspired by what we did, then we’ve done our job.”
Mental Strength
Championship teams are not just physically talented, they are mentally tough.
Jessie Lopez, a social work major, says blocking out expectations is a daily challenge.
“I block out the noise by trying to live in the moment and take everything in because this is my last year,” he says. “Regardless of the outcome this year, I am going to be content because I know me and the team gave it our all.”
He believes what separates a good team from a championship team starts at the individual level.
“Having a team of people who have good mindsets and support each other truly sets them apart. Everyone shows up ready to work, but they also show up for one another. That trust and positive energy make a difference, especially in tough moments when it would be easy to get frustrated. Instead, they push each other to be better.”
Cheer has shaped them beyond the mat.
“It’s made me more disciplined,” Gerlinger said. “I’ve learned how to handle pressure and push myself even when not at my best. It’s made me stronger mentally and emotionally.”
JP agrees.
“Cheer has made me a hard worker. I’ve learned how to lead by example and take that into my everyday life.”
Chasing History
Winning one national championship is rare. Winning three is remarkable. Winning four in a row would be historic.
“Ending with a fourth title would mean everything to me,” Schumacher said. “As a freshman, I dreamed of winning nationals. Now, I have been blessed enough to do that three times. Winning my senior year would just be a perfect end to my cheerleading career, making history.”
Horstman shared the same feeling
“Winning four in a row shows how consistent and dedicated this program is, and I’m proud to be part of that.”
For Taye, it’s about leaving a mark.
“As an athlete, we try to leave our mark on the sport. Some people do, and some people don’t, and my class has the chance to keep making history by being four-time national champions.”
But perhaps Mikal Honeycutt said it best.
“Regardless of the outcome, I’m most proud of how far we’ve come, the adversity we’ve pushed through, and the way we continue to show up for each other.”
That is what the St. Ambrose community will see when this team takes the mat. Not just stunts and tumbling passes, but unity, resilience, and heart.
They don’t just perform.
They represent.
And when the music hits for the final time, eight seniors will take a breath, lock in, and chase history together, determined to leave no regrets, no doubts, and nothing left unfinished on the mat.
