By Jed Flemming, Athletics Communications and Media Intern

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The second-ever NAIA Competitive Cheer and Dance National Championship Qualifier competition will take place on Friday and Saturday at four school host sites. Each day will open with cheer and dance prelims, followed by finals action and NAIA All-America tryouts.

Baker (Kan.) and Morningside (Iowa) will host on February 23. Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.) will also host in Belleville, Ill., on February 23, 2017. This marks the Lynx’s third-consecutive year hosting a qualifier. The last qualifier event will be hosted by Siena Heights (Mich.) in Adrian, Mich., on February 24 – the fifth-straight time the Saints have hosted this event.

There are 44 institutions competing for eight qualifying team championship berths (four dance, four cheer). There will be 24 teams (12 dance, 12 cheer) that will make their way to the NAIA National Championships hosted by the Oklahoma City Stars in Oklahoma City, Okla. The top scoring team out of each qualifying group tournament, along with the next overall highest scoring teams in each sport, advance to the 2018 NAIA National Championships.

The 2018 season marks the second year the sport will conduct a NAIA National Championship. The NAIA is the only collegiate athletics association to offer a national championship in this sport. Competitive Cheer and Dance was the first to earn national championship status within the NAIA in a span of 22 years – NAIA Women’s Golf became a championship sport prior to the spring of 1995.

The All-America tryouts consist of the following on the dance side: athletes must perform three leaps (two advanced) and a triple pirouette, and in cheer, athletes must complete a standing back tuck, toe touch and a tumbling pass (minimum: round off handspring full).

For the qualification plan and the list of competitive cheer & dance institutions, click here.

For more information on Competitive Cheer & Dance click here.