Texas Wesleyan University Celebrates Historic Game Day National Championship 

Texas Wesleyan University is celebrating a historic milestone after its Game Day team—comprised of cheer, dance and band—captured the program’s first national championship at the NCA Collegiate Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida. The win marks a defining moment for the university’s spirit program and highlights the power of collaboration across multiple performance groups. 

Unlike traditional competition teams, the Game Day division brings together the full game-day experience, blending the energy of cheer, the precision of dance and the sound of the band into one cohesive performance. Texas Wesleyan’s victory reflects years of dedication, creativity and unity across all three groups. 

“This wasn’t just one team—it was everyone coming together,” said Terrance Davis, head cheer coach and interim spirit director. “Every piece had to work in sync to create that full game-day atmosphere.” 

Preparing for nationals required extensive coordination, not only in performance but also in logistics. Transporting equipment, especially large band instruments and props, proved to be one of the biggest challenges leading up to the competition. 

“To fund and manage a group this large, it takes a lot,” Davis said. “There are so many moving parts behind the scenes that people don’t always see.” 

Despite those challenges, the spirit program leaned on teamwork and determination to make the trip possible. Support from the university community and fundraising efforts helped ensure that every element, from performers to props, made it to Daytona Beach. 

That unity carried onto the competition floor, where the Game Day team delivered a standout performance that earned them first place in the NAIA Game Day division, officially making Texas Wesleyan national champions. 

“There was no ‘I’ or ‘me’—it was all ‘we,’” Davis said. “It felt like one big heartbeat out there.” 

In addition to the Game Day victory, Texas Wesleyan’s All-Girl cheer team made program history by earning second place with the highest score the team has ever achieved at Nationals. 

Student leaders across cheer, dance and band played a vital role in guiding the team throughout the season, helping build the chemistry and trust needed to succeed on a national stage. 

For the university, the championship represents more than just a title—it’s a reflection of a growing and evolving spirit program that emphasizes inclusion, collaboration and school pride. 

With a national championship now secured, Texas Wesleyan looks ahead to building on this momentum, continuing to elevate its Game Day program and set a new standard for what’s possible when cheer, dance and band come together as one.