The Blinn College cheer and dance teams each received their 2019 national championship rings at Saturday night's football game at Cub Stadium.

"This night was super exciting for everybody because we had our alumni in attendance and these championships were historic for both cheer and dance," said Sarah Barland Flisowski, head cheer and dance coach. "Dance won two national titles in one season for the first time in Blinn history and cheer won its sixth straight national championship, which has never been done in the category they compete in. We are excited that our programs continue to be high caliber."

The cheerleader received their National Cheerleaders Association championship rings prior to the Buccaneers' game against Tyler Junior College, while the dance team received two National Dance Alliance championship rings at halftime.

"Our athletes respect the coaches and the traditions that are in place to allow them to be successful and commit to their goals," said Michael Brewster, assistant cheer and dance coach. "It is not easy going up against four-year schools every year, but they knew they had to go above and beyond to continue the legacy."

Blinn dance made history by claiming national titles in both Dance Team Performance Open and Pom Division II. Blinn took first place in Dance Team Performance Open with a score of 92.22 over second-place Riverside City College (91.12), and won Pom Division II with a score of 93.91 over second-place University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (91.14).

"It is exciting to receive our national championship rings because we worked so hard all year for that moment and it was a big deal for all of us to double-title for the first time to make Blinn history," sophomore Kasey Westenskow said. "To get these rings is a sign of how hard we worked and how hard we are going to continue to work. The freshmen saw how exciting it is to win something like that and this is great motivation for us all to want to continue making history for the program."

Blinn cheer earned its national title in Small Coed Division II with score of 95.42 over second-place Lindenwood University (94.91). In 2018, Blinn cheer made history as the first team to ever win five consecutive national championships in Small Coed Division II and now holds the record with six straight.

"I was so excited since so many alumni came just for the ceremony and to celebrate us making history as the only team in the division to make it to six in a row," sophomore Kylann Dillard said. "The sophomores on our 2018-19 team lost a teammate as freshmen and he continued to be their motivation to win. We all came together to continue the legacy of Jarred Pecina and represent the program in a way that he would be proud of us."

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 41 NJCAA national championships since 1987.