Saint Ambrose University’s cheer team has made itself known in 2024 with its back-to-back national final wins. Within the last four years, the program has grown exponentially, though it had to start from something.

“The Buzz” has dug into SAU yearbooks to find the first photo of cheerleading featured in 1961, dating back roughly 60 years ago.

Moving into the 1980’s, SAU’s 1982 digital yearbook says “These students cheer during basketball and football games, braving all sorts of inclement weather: rain, hail, snow.”

There was also another squad that was introduced in 1982, called the Pom Pons. This group of students integrated dance and cheerleading into one show and performed during halftime at events. 

The program started small with no competition team, but it still was an important aspect of the SAU campus. 

According to Sports Information Director, Brian Thiessen, “It became an official NAIA championship in 2016-2017. I think our first competition team was in 2010-2011, but we’ve had cheerleaders at games for decades.”

Between the two teams from the 1960’s-1980’s, they are now known as two different teams; cheer and dance. They both have their own programs that compete with high level competition.

Over the last 20 years, an individual coach has influenced the program by learning from those prior. She has grown this program leaps and bounds into something that will always be remembered.

Coach Danelle Langeneckert took this program and made it her own. “My first season was with the dance team in 2010-2011,” says Coach Langenecker. Starting her coaching career, going through Covid during the 2020 season, and now recently making history. 

Alyssa Alberti, former SAU cheerleader and now coach says, “I competed during 2018-2022 and they were so much more rewarding than I could have ever asked for. Danelle is incredibly hard working, driven, selfless, and competitive.”

SAU Senior Eliza Dzurisin says, “Over these last four years, the program has changed in so many positive ways. My first year we had 15-20 people on our squad and by senior year we had over 20 athletes overall.” 

In agreement with Dzurisin, senior Will Smith says, “Every year is better than the last one. From freshman to senior year, we have been the team to see throughout our conference.” 

Not only has coach Langeneckert faced team challenges, she has had to go through something that not a lot of coaches have; the pandemic.  

With Covid, “I think one of the biggest attributes to our success after 2020 was that we did not change much to our schedule, our process or the way we prepare,” says Coach Langenecker. 

Dzurisin says, “If you know anything about SAUCT, you know that we have intense practices so doing this all while wearing a mask was a whole new level. A positive from it was being able to connect easier with teammates since we were really only allowed to hang out with each other.” 

“Not only was it the first time I ever participated in cheerleading, we had to wear masks and had restrictions. It was hard as much as it was fun because I was learning as I was going,” adds Smith. 

The team says the way coach Langeneckert teaches her team is extraordinary. Her biggest lessons in teaching her team are to “do your best and know that each day, your best is going to look a little different. Next is to never settle – you will fail, but there are always lessons to learn in winning and losing and finally, it’s about the process and the journey,” says Langenecker. 

Smith says, “Danelle tells us to ‘put your best foot forward.’ She says this when we have hard practices and even when we are at the top of our game.” 

“Danelle is constantly dropping hard-hitting quotes and advice. Something she has taught me is how to “flip your switch” because character and skills are built when you are able to push through the hard days,” says Dzurisin. 

After much success during coach Langenecker’s time at SAU, she hopes to leave behind a message. With the announcement of her resignation, she says “to never settle.” 

“Although I am no longer on the team, Danelle means so much to this program. She has built something I would imagine most coaches dream of building,” says Dzurisin. 

Smith says, “It will not be the same without her, but I think the coaching staff that have also had an impact these last two seasons have what it takes to keep Ambrose cheer on top.”