The USM Cheer & Dance program encourages school spirit within athletics at the University of Saint Mary. The cheer squad supports all campus athletics and community events.

USM officially revied its cheerleading program in 2009 after a roughly ten-year hiatus of cheerleading on the main campus in Leavenworth. The cheer squad is currently under the direction of head coach Andi Wiederholt.

In Fall 2011, the university debuted its new dance team. The dance squad is connected to, but distinct from, the cheerleading team.

“Adding cheering and dance is a great step forward for our athletics program. This will truly add new excitement to the games for fans and athletes,” Athletic Director Rob Miller said, noting that the new cheer squad comes on the heels of the 2008 opening of the university’s first home field for the Spires Football team. “Every step we’ve taken in the last year is another step toward fully legitimizing this athletic program,” Miller added.

Previously, USM was the only school in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) without a cheer squad. USM had a smaller, non-uniformed squad in the ’90s.

The cheerleaders will be expected to perform at football and basketball games and will act as ambassadors of USM and its athletic department at other community events.

For more information on the Cheerleading program, call Andi Wiederholt at (913) 758-4379, or send email to Wiederholt801@stmary.edu.

The Latest in USM Sports News Aug. 24, 2011 NEWS RELEASES August 24, 2011 The University of Saint Mary Cheerleading Team placed first in its division at the National Cheerleaders Association camp competition in Maryville, Mo., July 30 and 31. The competition involved spirit, stunting, cheering, and some tumbling. Saint Mary was competing in the small co-ed division. Overall 23 cheerleaders—21 women and two men—participated in the camp. “I’m very proud of them,” said USM Cheer Coach Andi Wiederholt. “They’ve come a really long way since last year, and I’m really glad they went out and had fun.” The next competition on the schedule for the Spires cheerleading team is March 3’s Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Cheerleading and Dance Competition. The USM Cheerleading Squad and mascot Spiro the Dragon competed at the first ever KCAC Cheer and Dance Exhibition on Saturday, March 5. The event was held at Ottawa University. The Saint Mary cheerleaders placed fourth of the five teams in the event. Spiro took the top spot among mascots, claiming the Outstanding Performance Award in the category. Staring in the fall, USM's cheer squad will expand to include a dance team.   For more on USM Sports, visit:

FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions): Are scholarships awarded? Yes! Scholarships are given to first-time USM undergraduates with athletic talent and those who are in good academic standing. Must I complete a physical before auditions? No. For auditions, hopefuls simply need to sign the waiver provided at audition sessions. New squad members, however, need to complete a sports physical, complete medical paperwork, and obtain health insurance covering athletics before participating in summer practices. For forms and more information, visit www.stmary.edu/studentlife/health.asp on the web. What are your tryout requirements? New students must have applied to the university prior to auditions. Contact Coach Andi Wiederholt at (913) 758-4379, or send email to Wiederholt801@stmary.edu for more info. Tryout components: Jumps – toetouch, herkie, hurdler, pike Learn short cheer and dance from instructors Stunting with squad members Tumbling skills of your choice- (not required)