Nov. 16, 2009
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa football team isn’t the only part of the UI family that is “nationally ranked.”
Herky the Hawk has received an invitation to compete at UCA/UDA College Nationals after having finished ninth in the judging of entry tapes. The national championship will take place Jan. 15-17, 2010 at Walt Disney World in Orlando. This is the championship promoted on ESPN throughout the year and features the top mascots from around the country.
The field includes Michigan State’s “Sparty,” Minnesota’s “Goldy,” Wisconsin’s “Bucky” and “Chip,” from Colorado, among others.
Mascot videos were judged on crowd involvement, cheer/dance/band interaction, community events, university events and overall performance. The competition at the national championship will consist of a routine performed to music, including props, voiceovers and crowd leading techniques.
After submitting a videotape to qualify for the UCA/UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship, the University of Iowa’s Dance Team learned that they received a full paid invitation to the national championship and a 5th place ranking in the Division 1A dance category. Other teams in the top 5 include the Minnesota, Tennessee, Memphis and Wisconsin..
Like Herky, the Iowa Dance Team will travel to the Walt Disney World in January.