Cheer team competes at 2026 SSAC Championship

 

TANNER, Ala. – The Loyola Wolf Pack competitive cheer team took part in two Southern States Athletic Conference competitions over the weekend, culminating with the 2026 SSAC Competitive Cheer Championship on Saturday. 

 

Loyola competed in its final regular season competition in Friday's SSAC Roundup before the championship on Saturday, finishing in fifth out of seven teams with a score of 80.53. 

 

In Saturday's championship, the Wolf Pack received a score of 83.60 before getting a 82.58 in the final round for an overall score of 82.84. Loyola finished seventh out of nine teams in a stacked field where seven different teams scored over 80. 

 

Xavier University of Louisiana was crowned SSAC champions for the first time since 2021 with an overall score of 97.95, earning the conference's automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship at the end of March. All other SSAC teams will await possible at-large selections, with those being announced March 16. 

 

The SSAC also announced its 2026 Cheer awards late Friday night. Alex Balinbin, Jeremy Knott, Sydney Brasseux, and Thomas Dilwith all received All-Conference honors. Balinbin and Brasseux were each making their second-straight appearance on the All-Conference Team. 

 

Loyola also had five student-athletes earn a spot on the SSAC All-Academic Team: Balinbin, Dilwith, Alyvia Pierson, Mia Saldivar, and Zoe Schmit, with Balinbin, Saldivar, and Schmit receiving the honor for the second year in a row. Pierson was also the Wolf Pack representative on the SSAC Champions of Character Team. 
 

SSAC Roundup #2 Results 

Xavier – 90.43
Mobile – 90.30
Life – 82.07
Brewton-Parker – 82.03
Loyola – 80.53
William Carey – 77.90
Milligan – 72.52

SSAC Championship Results 

Xavier – 97.95
Florida Memorial – 90.03
UT Southern – 89.99
Mobile – 89.62
Brewton-Parker Christian – 86.42
Life – 85.85
Loyola – 82.84
William Carey – 77.38
Milligan – 73.42
 

2026 SSAC Competitive Cheer Awards

Coach of the Year: Glenn Caston, Xavier
Athlete of the Year: Madison Busey, UT Southern
Tumbler of the Year: Caleb Merckson, Xavier
Base of the Year: Aeriella Pappas, UT Southern
Flyer of the Year: Luci Fortenberry, William Carey
Rookie of the Year: Nicholas Taylor, Xavier
Sportsmanship Award: Brewton-Parker Christian

 

All-Conference Team 
Charles Henkel, Brewton Parker Christian
Cloey Sanders, Brewton Parker Christian
Harley Slade, Brewton Parker Christian
Kaylee Cox, Brewton Parker Christian
Macie Purcell, Brewton Parker Christian
Anaya George, Florida Memorial
Ariana Parker, Florida Memorial
Jamiyah West, Florida Memorial
Jayda Rouse, Florida Memorial
Jordan Scimmons, Florida Memorial
Ben Fernandez, Life
Savana Palos, Life
Sydney Palos, Life
Victoria Crouchet, Life
Alex Balinbin, Loyola
Jeremy Knott, Loyola
Sydney Brasseux, Loyola
Thomas Dilwith, Loyola
Brylee Pennington, Milligan
Ramsey Greenwell, Milligan
Alex Godwin, Mobile
Annsley Myers, Mobile
Lexi Duffey, Mobile
Michelle Bossard, Mobile
Tony Figueroa, Mobile
Abby Mokolaichik, UT Southern
Abigail Engelhardt, UT Southern
Colt Roberts, UT Southern
Kierstin Lankford, UT Southern
Chanel Howard, William Carey
Emily Clark, William Carey
Hollie Mitchell, William Carey
Calah Dye, Xavier
Elias Cato, Xavier
Kerri Rhodes, Xavier
Terence Petit, Xavier
Trae Byrd, Xavier

 

SSAC All-Academic Team
Daniel Smith, Brewton-Parker Christian
Harley Slade, Brewton-Parker Christian
Charles Henkel, Brewton-Parker Christian
Christine Herndon, Brewton-Parker Christian
Madison Busey, UT Southern
Alyssa Dawes, UT Southern
Anna Grooms, UT Southern
Aspen Grubbs, UT Southern
Aubrie Miller, UT Southern
Alysa Ray, UT Southern
Bethany Allmon, William Carey
Anna Cate Clark, William Carey
Serenity Jasper, William Carey
Ryleigh Kennedy, William Carey
Hollie Mitchell, William Carey
Lilli Kate Simpson, William Carey
Caitlyn Thorton, William Carey
Victoria Crouchet, Life University
Benjamin Fernandez, Life University
Kayah Thomas, Life University
Macie Blevins, Milligan
Morgan Dyer, Milligan
Alex Balinbin, Loyola
Thomas Dilwith, Loyola
Alyvia Pierson, Loyola
Mia Saldivar, Loyola
Zoe Schmit, Loyola
Alex Godwin, Mobile
Annsley Myers, Mobile
Brooklyn Rowell, Mobile
Madison Barnes, Mobile
Michelle Bossard, Mobile
Kennedy Alleyne, Xavier
Kendall Baggett, Xavier
Sydney Gadsden, Xavier
Madison Levy, Xavier
Kerri Rhodes, Xavier
Alexandra Richards, Xavier
Kirstin Shears, Xavier

 

SSAC Champions of Character Team
Evelin Chapman, Brewton-Parker Christian
Sierra Johnson, Florida Memorial
Austin Reid, Life
Alyvia Pierson, Loyola
Ethan Morton, Mobile
Madison Laughters, Milligan
Keshaun Edgar, Xavier
Anna Grace Grooms, UT Southern
Ryleigh Kennedy, William Carey

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