ORLANDO, FLA. - For the second consecutive year, the Concordia University Chicago (CUC) dance team took the final stage at Nationals. This year the Cougars competed at The College Classic in three categories: Pom, Team Performance, and Rally Dance. They would advance through the preliminary round in both Pom and Team Performance, but in their Rally Dance debut they would fall short of advancing. 

Rally Dance
The Cougars made their Nationals debut in Rally Dance on Saturday, April 12th where they would pick up a score of 39.50. With only one day of completion in this category , the Cougars would finish in eighth place 

"I am proud of this team for taking on a new challenge and allowing our game day athletes to compete on the floor," Head Coach Dirvelys Allen noted. "We are new to this division and look forward to growing it."

Team Performance
For the first time in program history, the team advanced to finals in Team Performance after picking up a 78.74 score in the preliminary performance. After focusing in on their technique, the Cougars would post an 82.78 final score to close their season out with a sixth place finish. 

Pom
In their final preliminary performance of the weekend, the Cougars took the floor for their Pom routine where they would post an 82.62 opening score in Group B. Falling short of immediate qualifying for finals, the Cougars were sent to the semi-finals for an opportunity to push their way into finals. Looking to make the comeback, the Cougars made adjustments and posted an 81.88 final score in the semifinals, falling short in qualifying for finals. 


"We challenged ourselves with a new division, pushed past adversity adjusting to drastic changes that were out of our control, became a strong more connected team and it was so beautiful to see us hit a new stride this competitive Spring season," Cosch Allen said. "We are proud of the journey this championship brought to us, we hoped for wins, though we didn't win, we won in closeness, grit, what it means to be a team, to stand firm on commitment. We faced challenges and this team reflected what recovery and adapting means. We are so proud of our athletes, standing strong, true to their word, and pushing past obstacles laid before us with great pride."

This concludes the 2025-26 season for CUC Dance after a strong competition season and top-tier performances at the National level. Coverage and updates about CUC Dance in the offseason can be found at cucougars.com and on Instagram @CUCDance.