April 16, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State Lionettes dance team again proved to be the best in the nation as the squad captured its second-consecutive Division I-A title at the National Dance Alliance Collegiate Championship April 12 in Daytona Beach, Fla., outperforming eight schools from around the country in the finals.
"We are incredibly excited to bring another dance national championship back to Penn State," Dr. Sue Sherburne, director of the Lionettes program, said after securing the title. "The girls' work ethic, determination and focus throughout the year made this first-place finish possible. I am so proud of all they have accomplished this year, and am grateful to our Lionette alumni and administration for all they've done to build and support this program. We hope we've given all Penn Staters something more to cheer about."
The Lionettes posted a 9.738 score in the finals to edge Louisville's 9.653 mark. Iowa State (9.622), South Carolina (9.472) and North Carolina State (9.390) rounded out the Top 5 at the event.
Senior captains Melissa Diehl and Nicole Symeonides and junior Sara Leary, along with Nationals Coordinator Monica Douglas, also a senior, led the group of 26 dancers, which features one graduate student, six seniors, eight juniors, seven sophomores and four freshmen.
A year ago, the Blue and White captured their first NDA championship by topping Brigham Young and Louisville in the finals. The Lionettes have been on top of the dance world the last two years after finishing fourth or higher from 2009 to 2011, including a third-place performance in 2010.