July 13, 2018 – Eight members of the Concordia University Chicago Cheer and Dance team, also known as "The Dazzlers," have been honored as Scholar-Athletes for the 2017-18 academic year.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must have been a full-time student and maintained a grade point average of 3.25 or higher for the past academic year.

The team, which was under the direction of Dirvelys Allen and Molly Maas, faced another busy year in which they not only prepared for their routines during the football and basketball seasons, but also coordinated their efforts for the various collegiate competitions in which they took part. "We have a long season, and the commitments our team has to make are many," said Allen. "The time and work they put in and the excellence with which they do it should be celebrated."

This year's competitions included the Chicagoland Dance Championships, in which the Cougar won the pom division and took third in the hip-hop division; the Dance Team Union at St. Ambrose College, in which CUC placed first in both pom and lyrical categories and achieved individual honors for Rachel Danko (jazz, first place) and Amber Zayed (lyrical, second place); the inaugural cheer/dance competition at the Concordia Invitational Tournament, in which the Cougars placed second in dance and third in cheer;  and the Xtreme Spirit premiere event, where the team was awarded best stunts and a "golden bid" (paid bid to future national championship event). The Cougars also had the honor of hosting this year's Norther Athletics collegiate Conference meet on March 17, highlighted by Destiny Henschel winning a "NACC All-Star" honor by placing third in an individual performance for a lyrical routine.

The following Cheer and Dance team members are honored as 2017-18 Scholar-Athletes by Concordia University Chicago: