When UNM fans attend Lobo men's basketball games this season, they can get a courtside glimpse of the No. 12 team in the country.
The Universal Cheerleading Association named the UNM co-ed cheerleading team the 12th best in the nation on Sunday.
UNM finished above large, reputable teams such as Texas and Central Florida. Coach Tracy Denton said it is an accomplishment to be able to compete against large schools and fully funded programs.
"The competition is not just about placing but representing our University," Denton said. "Our performance brings a new motivation to the team and will set the bar higher in the future."
The last time the UNM team competed in nationals was in 2003, but it did not advance beyond the semifinals.
Team members traveled to Orlando, Fla., last week to compete against the top collegiate teams at The Wide World of Sports Arena.
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Third-year team member Shay Lorentzen said they looked forward to the competition experience, but they did not expect to advance to the final round with such a young team.
"Eight of our 15 members are new to the team this year," Lorentzen said. "As a small team from New Mexico, we didn't think we had a good chance of placing, but valued the opportunity to perform at a competitive level."
The UNM team performed its routine in the semifinals with three flawed stunts. Denton said they were unsure whether the team would advance after a shaky semifinal performance.
"We were very excited to advance to the final round because the team was not completely satisfied with their performance," Denton said. "We were ready to give the team another chance to show what they are capable of in the finals."
Moving into the final round exceeded expectations for the low-ranked UNM team, guaranteeing a place in the top 16. The UNM performance in the final round was nearly flawless.
"The feeling that we had leaving the floor and feeling like we performed a flawless routine was like winning first place," Lorentzen said. "We knew we did our best and the rest was in the hands of the judges."
The co-ed team got to the competition after sending a videotape of its skills to the association in the fall and qualified to compete in the national collegiate competition.
Based on the tape, it was ranked fourth of seven teams in the western region.
