Miles College Cheerleading Team Returns from 20-Year Hiatus to Win National Championship
Miles College’s cheerleading team, the Golden Bears, returned from a 20-year hiatus from competing to win the national cheerleading championship on March 7 in Fayetteville, NC—making historically Black college and university (HBCU) cheer history.
The Golden Bears represent Miles College, a UNCF-member institution, in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and NCAA Division II. The cheer team won both the Overall Grand Champion title and the College Co-ed Game Time Championship at the CCA Christian Cheer Nationals & Collegiate Championship—the first HBCU team to earn both titles at the CCA nationals, according to an article in The Birmingham Times.
Miles College Cheerleaders on Instagram
HBCU cheerleading programs rarely compete at CCA nationals—the Miles College cheerleading squad is only the second HBCU cheer team to take part in the competition.
Photo from Miles College Cheerleaders Instagram.
But head coach Le’Andrea Anderson-Tolbert made sure her team knew they belonged there. “Just take up space even if you don’t think the space is for you,” Anderson-Tolbert said, according to an article in HBCU Gameday. “This whole competition season was about showcasing what smaller HBCUs can bring.”
Miles originally did not have the budget for the trip to nationals. But Anderson-Tolbert personally covered registration costs and the team raised over $10,000 through community support.
The Miles College squad increased visibility for HBCU athletes and cheer programs across the nation, proving that HBCU athletics deserves a place at the podium.
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