Mustangs rewrite history, collect national title

YPSILANTI, MICH. – Making history may not have been the goal for the Mustangs as they took the floor in the 2022 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Dance National Championship's preliminary round, but the statement performance, as representatives of the NAIA described it, put Morningside atop the leaderboard and in a spot that no Mustangs had been before.  As it turns out, that was just an introduction to what the 2022 Morningside Dance Team had up its sleeve, with the Mustangs claiming the NAIA's coveted red banner and championship title, recording the highest score ever in the event's history.

Morningside's route to the title was far from easy, as the northwest region champions were challenged both days of the national event.  Following performances in the preliminary round, which counts for 25% of the total score, the Mustangs led defending champion St. Ambrose by less than a quarter of a point, 91.93-91.77.

"We were happy that we were drawn to perform last, but we knew we needed to put on a good performance," reflected coach Alisha Knowler.  "The girls were focused, so I really just tried to calm any nerves and keep them confident in themselves and in the routine."

The reigning champions were a persistent threat for Morningside in the final round, too, recording an overall score of 92.17, besting their championship total from the previous year. It was the Mustangs, however, who were announced in the top spot and handed the championship trophy, with a total score of 92.31 points.

"We knew the scores were close, and if we wanted to accomplish our goal, we needed to put on an even better performance in the finals.  Points-wise, it was basically like starting over again," explained Knowler.

Following the competition, the NAIA's release broke another accolade for Morningside, the fact that the Mustangs had just recorded the highest score in the championship event's history.

"That's a huge accomplishment for our program!" Knowler exclaimed.  "They actually didn't announce that in the arena, so we didn't find out until later on.  We were very proud of our finish, and then to find out that we made NAIA history was even more exciting!"

"These seniors are a huge part of this program, and really led the way!  They are definitely going to be missed, but everything they've done the last few years has set the tone for this program moving forward, and they should be very proud of the legacy that they are leaving!"