UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 11
November 14, 1996
YoUDee, cheerleaders and dancers in championships

     YoUDee, the Fightin' Blue Hen mascot, and members of the
Blue Hen cheerleading and precision dance teams are bound for
Orlando in January to participate in the Universal Cheerleading
Association (UCA) 1997 National Championships.
     YoUDee, the Blue Hen mascot, was ranked third in the country
and received a paid bid to the finals.
     The UD cheerleaders received a Division I fourth-place, paid
bid to the finals.
     The UD Precision Dance Team received an eighth place bid and
will begin its race to the top in the semifinal round.
     YoUDee has winged toward the top of the mascot roost in
three years, finishing 13th in 1994, 11th in 1995 and third this
year. The Fightin' Blue Hen mascot will compete against Aubie of
Auburn University, Wildcat of the University of Kentucky and Ms.
Wolf of North Carolina State University.
     According to mascot coordinator Edward Stoner, public
relations, "YoUDee has been an entertaining ambassador for the
University since arriving at Delaware in September of 1993.
YoUDee and the students involved with the mascot program have
worked hard to attain this prestigious ranking. We are proud of
YoUDee's accomplishments and look forward to the program's
continued success."
     For two of the last three years, YoUDee has finished first
in the UCA northeast regional summer camp. Last summer the UD
mascot was presented the leadership award, a recognition voted
upon by fellow mascots attending the camp.
     Leanne Higgins, recreation and intramural programs, is coach
of the cheerleaders and adviser to the dance team. She said she
is extremely excited that the UD cheerleaders were chosen fourth
in the nation in Division I.
     "This is a big jump for us," she said, "especially since we
placed ninth last year-our first in national competition. I think
that provided us with a great deal of experience that we have
capitalized on to gain our ranking this year. What truly amazes
me is that last year we had a squad of upperclass students, but
this year seven of the 16 cheerleaders on the competition team
are in their first year of cheerleading."
     Higgins said the UD team's success at the UCA camp held at
Rutgers University in August contributed a wealth of experience
that was important in attaining the national ranking. During that
camp, the UD team performed well, winning the "Most Collegiate"
award, which is selected by the camp's staff and presented to the
squad that most represents college cheerleading.
     In Orlando, the UD cheerleaders will compete against a team
from Morehead State University, which has been the country's
Number One Division I team for five years.
     According to Higgins, the UD cheerleading program has
received increased attention in recent years. "I already have
received more than 450 requests for information regarding our
1997 cheerleading program," she said. "I've also been asked to
work with many high school coaches due to the widespread
recognition of our program."
     The Precision Dance Team placed in the open dance category.
Ann Marie Parisi, who has been the dance team's coach for the
last year, said, "We went into the competition with no idea of
how we would place because we had no prior competitive
experience. We are thrilled to have done so well."
     The current dance team includes four freshmen, five
sophomores, three juniors and two seniors. Of the 14 members, 11
are new to the team this year. The UD dancers will compete in the
semifinal round on their way to the finals.
     The invitations to the UD mascot and teams were based on
videotapes submitted for review by judges. All of the
competitions-to be held Jan. 9-11 at Disney-MGM Studios, in the
Indiana Jones Amphitheatre-will be televised nationally on ESPN
and ESPN2 at a later date.
                                                    -Ed Okonowicz