SENATOBIA - Howard Coliseum will be the place to be on Saturday evening, as the Northwest cheer and dance squads will host its Nationals Showcase to the public.

Admission to the event is $5 and doors open at 5 P.M. The event is set to begin at 5:30 P.M. and will feature both teams performing their prepared routines for the upcoming UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship, scheduled for January 13-15 in Orlando.

Northwest cheer will be competing in Orlando for the third straight season, looking to build on an already-impressive résumé. Under the direction of coach Brandon Casey, the Rangers have earned three national titles, winning the Open Small Co-Ed title last year. In 2021, Casey's group won a pair of championships in the Game Day Cheer & Mascot and Open Cheer categories.

This will mark the first season of competition for the Northwest dance team, coached by Patrice Christian. A native of Memphis, Christian is in her second season leading the dance team after serving nearly 10 years as the head coach of the College of Charleston's dance squad. She guided the program to multiple top five finishes at UDA College Nationals and in 2021, Christian led the program to its first national championship in the Division I Hip-Hop category.

For more information on the upcoming UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship, click here.